108 WILD SCENES AND SONG-BIRDS. 



It was sufficient delight to me to gaze on my long soughc 

 treasure. Its pure, white breast or throat, rather for the 

 breast was sunk in the nest formed such a sweet and inno- 

 cent contrast with the splendor of its back, head and wings ! 



This is the most common variety with us, and is about a 

 size larger than the scarlet throat. I shall venture to call 

 this variety the Emerald Hummer. I could see that this 

 wonderful little creature, had not only formed the outside 

 of its nest to correspond in shape and size exactly with the 

 natural knots on other limbs but had so skilfully covered 

 the outside with the same kind of moss .which grew upon 

 them, that no eye, however practiced, could have discovered 

 the deception from, beneath. Having gratified my curiosity 

 as far as prudent, without running the risk of driving her 

 from the nest, I descended cautiously and ran home with the 

 news ; and great was the joy thereat between my little play- 

 mates and myself. 



Now came the anxious time for us ; we were dying to get 

 a sight of the eggs, and yet afraid to disturb the birds. I 

 conquered this difficulty at last by patience, I found, after 

 watching for several mornings, that they both left the nest on 

 warm days about noon ; and were gone sometimes near an 

 hour. "We took this opportunity, and having climbed up 

 first, so as to show her, my sister followed the girls used to 

 climb like squirrels in Kentucky, in my young days ! and 

 many were the expressions of childish delight as she peeped 

 over and saw those three little eggs about the size of black- 

 eyed peas lying like snowy pearls, (if not diamonds, as I used 

 to expect,) embedded in a fairy case, all lined with cygnet- 

 down, or the delicate floss of elfin-hair. We did not touch, 

 or even breathe on it, and descended quickly, lest the old 

 birds should find us there. 



I was unexpectedly compelled to leave home about this 

 time, and my sister promised that she would not disturb the 

 nest till my return. After an unexpected detention of two 

 weeks, I got back, and the first thing the next morning we 



