MY HUMMING BIRDS. 117 



my tactics next day, for I remembered that my impatient 

 horse had been pawing in the water all the time, and this, no 

 doubt, had alarmed the cautious birds, and caused them to 

 change their usual course. Next day I chose my position 

 under some thick overhanging trees, where I could see and 

 not be seen. I did not see them on the morning watch. In 

 the afternoon, precisely at five, the male came by, and I had 

 the satisfaction of seeing that it was a ruby-throat. I judged 

 from the height at which it flew that the nest was not very 

 far off. Well, to make a long story short, I came the next 

 day and took my station about a hundred and fifty yards far- 

 ther up the stream saw them both pass at five, flying, I 

 thought, just a little lower ; the next evening I moved still 

 farther up with the same result. 



The next I did not move so far for here was a strait 

 stretch of the channel of considerable length, and I could 

 command it with my eye from where I stood. Here I saw 

 them go by, one a few minutes after the other ; and observed 

 that their flight was now very low ; but after they had pass- 

 ed me a short distance, each of them shot suddenly and per- 

 pendicularly up into the air until I lost sight of them. 

 The next evening, it was the same thing, and now I was 

 convinced that the nest must be close at hand ; that they 

 rose in this sudden manner to make a perpendicular descent 

 which would baffle pursuit from all -enemies. I watched 

 near this place three evenings more changing my position 

 only a little each time before I had the satisfaction at last 

 of seeing the female come down like a falling aerolite from 

 the clouds and drop upon her nest. I had thus spent more 

 than a whole week in this patient pursuit, and now that it 

 had been crowned with success, I wheeled my horse, and 

 with an indescribable feeling of both pride and joy, galloped 

 home with the news to my sister. I had conquered one of 

 the stubbornest secrets of nature not this time by accident, 

 but by science and perseverance. I was proud of it, and so 

 was she. At the proper time I brought the young birds 



