158 A-BIRDING ON A BRONCO. 



his shoulders, and pecked at a leaf as if he were 

 as much grown up as anybody. 



Of all the beautiful hummingbirds' nests I saw 

 in California, three are particularly noteworthy 

 because of their positions. One cup was set down 

 on what looked like an inverted saucer, in the 

 form of a dark green oak leaf wound with cobweb. 

 That was in the oak beside the ranch-house. An- 

 other one was on a branch of eucalyptus, set 

 between two leaves like the knot in a bow of stiff 

 ribbon. To my great satisfaction, the photo- 

 grapher was able to induce the bird to have a 

 sitting while she brooded her eggs. The third 

 nest I imagined belonged to the bird who took up 

 her floor because Billy and I looked at her. If 

 she were, her fate was certainly hard, for her eggs 

 were taken by some one, boy or beast. Her nest 

 was most skillfully supported. It was fastened 

 like the seat of a swing between two twigs no 

 larger than knitting-needles, at the end of a long 

 drooping branch. It was a unique pleasure to 

 see the tiny bird sit in her swing and be blown 

 by the wind. Sometimes she went circling about 

 as though riding in a merry-go-round ; and at 

 others the wind blew so hard her round boat rose 

 and fell like a little ship at sea. 



