LONG-TAILED HUMMING-BIRD. 113 



we resorted on these expeditions. A common gauze 

 butterfly-net, on a ring of a foot in diameter and 

 a staff of three or four feet, we found the most 

 effective means of capture. The elaborate traps 

 recommended by some authors, I fear would suit 

 the natural history of the closet, better than that 

 of the woods. We often found the curiosity of these 

 little birds stronger than their fear; on holding 

 up the net near one, he frequently would not fly 

 away, but come and hover over the mouth, stretch- 

 ing out his neck to peep in, so that we could 

 capture them with little difficulty. Often too, one 

 when struck at unsuccessfully, would return im- 

 mediately, and suspend itself in the air just above 

 our heads, or peep into faces, with unconquerable 

 familiarity. Yet it was difficult to bring these sweet 

 birds, so easily captured, home ; they were usually 

 dead or dying when we arrived at the house, though 

 not wounded or struck. And those which did arrive 

 in apparent health, usually died the next day. At my 

 first attempt in the spring of 1845, I transferred 

 such as I succeeded in bringing alive, to cages 

 immediately on their arrival at the house, and 

 though they did not beat themselves, they soon 

 sunk under the confinement. Suddenly they 

 would fall to the floor of the cage, and lie mo- 

 tionless with closed eyes; if taken into the hand, 

 they would perhaps seem to revive for a few mo- 

 ments; then throw back the pretty head, or toss 

 .it to and fro as if in great suffering, expand the 

 wings, open the eyes, slightly puff up the feathers 

 .of the breast, and die: usually without any con- 



