212 UPLAND AND MEADOW. 



very near they lose confidence in their judgment as to 

 the site selected, and dart, first at you, and then towards 

 the nest, until you are actually led to the very spot. 



When the eggs are laid, the female sits closely and is 

 looked after by her mate, who brings her food at times, 

 and occasionally takes her place. The following, clip- 

 ped from a newspaper, is something very remarkable 

 for a humming-bird to do; and why she did it does 

 not seem at all clear. A humming-bird, generally, can 

 cover her nest very well, and the foliage near by al- 

 ways affords a moderate protection : 



"In front of a window where I worked last summer 

 was a butternut-tree. A humming-bird built her nest 

 on a limb that grew near the window, and we had an op- 

 portunity to watch her closely, as we could look right 

 into the nest from the window. One day there was a 

 heavy shower coming up, and we thought we would 

 see if she covered her young during the storm ; but 

 when the first drops fell she came and took in her bill 

 one of two or three large leaves growing close to the 

 nest, and laid this leaf over so it completely covered the 

 nest ; then she flew away. 



" On looking at the leaf we found a hole in it, and 

 in the side of the nest was a small stick that the leaf 

 was fastened to or hooked on. After the storm was 

 over the old bird came back and unhooked the leaf, 

 and the nest was perfectly dry." 



Quite recently an acquaintance, living near me, has 

 published the results of his observations on the breed- 

 ing habits of our humming-bird. They are strangely 

 different from ray own. lie writes, the female alone 



