LONG-TAILED HUMMING-BIRD. 121 



On opening the basket in which one or more newly- 

 caught Humming-birds were brought home, they 

 would fly out, and commonly soar to the ceiling, 

 rarely seeking the window; there for awhile, or 

 against the walls, as above mentioned, they would 

 flutter, not beating themselves, but hanging on ra- 

 pidly vibrating wings, lightly touching the plaster 

 with the beak or breast, every second, and thus 

 slightly rebounding. By keeping a strict watch 

 on them while so occupied, we could observe when 

 they became exhausted, and sunk rapidly down to 

 alight; commonly, they would then suffer them- 

 selves to be raised, by passing the finger under the 

 breast, to which they would apply their little feet. 

 Having thus raised one on my finger, and taken 

 a little sugar into my mouth, I inserted its beak 

 between my lips. Sometimes it would at once begin 

 to suck eagerly ; but at other times it was needful 

 to invite it thus many times, before it would notice 

 the sugar : by persevering, however, they commonly 

 learned. And when one had once fed from the 

 mouth, it was always ready to suck afterwards, and 

 frequently, as above narrated, voluntarily sought my 

 lips. Having given one his first lesson, I gently 

 presented him to the line, and drawing my finger 

 from under him, he would commonly take to it, 

 but if not, the proceeding had to be repeated : and 

 even when perched, the repetition of the feeding 

 and placing on the line was needful to induce the 

 habit. If the bird's temper were kindly, it soon 

 began to perch on the line of its own accord ; when 

 I ceased to feed it from my lips, presenting to it, 



