PLYCATCHERS, 121 
ing its bill into the mouth of its offspring and injecting 
food as though from a 
Some tropical Hummingbirds have songs worthy the 
name, but the notes of our Ruby-throat are a mere 
squeak, sometimes prolonged into a twitter. 
Under any circumstances a Hummingbird’s nest ex- 
cites admiration. But if you would appreciate its fairylike 
beauty, find one where the birds have placed it, probably 
on the horizontal limb of a birch. Doubtless it will be 
occupied by the female, for it seems that the male takes 
little or no part in family affairs after incubation begins. 
As far as known, all Hummingbirds lay two white eggs 
—frail, pearly ellipses, that after fourteen days’ incuba- 
tion develop into a tangle of tiny dark limbs and bodies, 
which no one would think of calling birds, much less 
“ winged gems.” 
2 
PERCHING BIRDS. CRDER PASSERES.) 
Fiycatcuers. (FAMILY TYRANNID®) 
Dovat.ess, every order of birds has had its day when, 
if it was not a dominant type, it was at least sufficiently 
near it to be considered modern; and as we review what 
is known to us of that great series of feathered forms, 
from the Archwopteryx to the Thrushes, we can real- 
ize how varied has been the characteristic avifauna of 
each succeeding epoch from the Jurassic period to the 
present. 
Now has come the day of the order Passeres, the 
Perching Birds; here belong our Flycatchers, Orioles, 
Jays, Sparrows and Finches, Vireos, Swallows, Warblers, 
Wrens, Thrushes, and many others. A recent authority 
classifies birds in thirty-four orders, but fully one half of 
