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TASTE OF INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS. 175 



for lulling the insects to repose. Then is the moment 

 for the humming-bird to secure them. Its long deli- 

 cate bill enters the cup of the flower, and the protruded 

 double-tubed tongue, delicately sensible, and imbued 

 with a glutinous saliva, touches each insect in suc- 

 cession, and draws it from its lurking-place, to be 

 instantly swallowed. All this is done in a moment, 

 and the bird, as it leaves the flower, sips a small 

 portion of its liquid honey*." From this description 

 we may perhaps infer that the humming-bird swal- 

 lows insects alive, as those birds which prey solely 

 on the wing must partly do, their bills riot appearing; 

 sufficient to crush them. 



The greater number of birds are careful to kill 

 their insect prey before swallowing it, as if aware 

 of its being indigestible so long as it remains 

 alive. We had a caged fauvette (Philo?nela hor- 

 tensis) which in this way would seize large spiders 

 or full-grown caterpillars of the cabbage butterfly, 

 and beat them about the perches and wires of the 

 cage till they were quite dead before it attempted to 

 swallow them. A redbreast, in the same way, will 

 shake and beat an earthworm about, arid sometimes 

 break it into several pieces before eating it; and 

 rooks will treat in a similar manner the dew-worms 

 and the grubs of the cockchafer which seem to be 

 their principal foodf, though systematic naturalists, 

 from Gesner down to Linnseus and his followers, 

 appear to consider this species as feeding only upon 

 corn, which is contrary to the fact, for they will not 

 touch grain unless compelled by want of their natural 

 food. 



Speaking of the rook, Mr. Knapp says, " It has at 

 times great difficulty to support its life, for in a dry 



ing or summer most of these are hidden in the 

 arth beyond its reach, except at those uncertain 

 * Ornith, Biography, p, 248-52. f J. R. 



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