HUMMING-BIRDS. 5 1 



insects ; have seen the insect swarms, and so long 

 as there remain any in sight and even long after 

 they have disappeared from my view the bird darts 

 hither and thither, snapping them up with great rapid- 

 ity. At such times he does not content himself with 

 a sip here and there and then alight upon some twig 

 or liane, as when gathering honey, but evidently con- 

 siders the fleeting nature of the prey he is pursuing, 

 and shoots from one hunting-ground to another till he 

 has obtained his fill. 



Beneath me, lining the walls of a deep gorge in 

 whose depths a little rivulet tinkled, was a broad area 

 of the plant called by the natives balisier, or wild 

 plantain. The leaves of this plant are about six feet 

 in length, broad and green, like the leaves of a 

 banana. From the bases of these leaves shoot up 

 long spikes of crimson and yellow cups, arranged 

 like the flowers of the gladiolus. They are boat- 

 shaped and about three inches in length, and their 

 bright colors lighted up this shady spot like sunshine. 

 Above their broad silken leaves Garnet-throat hov- 

 ered a moment to scan the interior of these flowers, 

 perchance he might see an insect for him there. A 

 sudden desire came over me to possess the bird, and 

 quick as the thought was formed my gun was at my 

 shoulder, and its sharp report echoed through the 

 silent woods. High and low I searched, but could 

 not find him, until, looking down upon the spot for 

 a final glance, I caught sight of his gleaming throat 

 which a stray sunbeam had lighted on. He lay en- 

 shrined in one of those golden caskets, leg uplifted and 

 wings loose spread, eclipsing even those bright tints of 

 orange and crimson in the vivid glow of his gorget. 



