262 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Observations on its notes. 



at night, to preserve them from the rats, and he 

 found they were destroyed in the morning. 



" These birds, on the continent of America, 

 continue to flutter the year round; as their food, 

 which is the honey of flowers, never forsakes 

 them in those warm latitudes where they are 

 found. But it is otherwise in the islands of the 

 Antilles, where, when the winter season ap- 

 proaches, they retire, and as some say, continue 

 in a torpid state during the severity of that sea- 

 son. At Surinam and Jamaica, where they con- 

 stantly have flowers, these beautiful birds are. 

 never known to disappear. 



" It is a doubt whether or not these birds have 

 a continued note in singing. All travellers agree, 

 that, beside the humming noise produced by 

 their wings, they have a little interrupted chir- 

 rup; but Labat asserts, that they have a most 

 pleasing melancholy melody in their voices, 

 though small and proportioned to the organs 

 which produce it. It is very probable, that in 

 different places, their notes are also different; 

 and, as there are some that continue torpid all 

 the winter, there may likewise be some with 

 agreeable voices, though the rest may in general 

 be silent. 



" The Indians formerly made great use of this 

 pretty bird's plumage, in adorning their belts and 

 head-dress. 



" The children take them in the fields upon 

 rings smeared with bird lime, in the following 



