The Ruby-Throated Hummingbird 179 



drawing nectar from the deep cupped flowers. There was a 

 time when it was claimed that the hummingbird's food con- 

 sisted only of this nectar. But the naturalist Webber, estab- 

 lished the fact that this was not true. He caught and tamed 

 several of these little birds. At first they were fond of syrup, 

 but after a while they got tired of it and began to droop. He 

 let them fly away. They soon returned, as fresh as ever. This 

 occurred again, and when next set free Mr. Webber and his 

 sister watched them carefully. He says : "We were sadly puz- 

 zled to think what it was they were dipping at so eagerly in 

 the shrubbery, to the utter neglect of many flowers. We moved 

 closer to watch them to better advantage, and in so doing 

 changed our relative position to the sun. At once the thing 

 was revealed to me. I caught Ruby in the very act of taking 

 a small spider, with the point of his beak, from the center 

 one of those circular webs of the garden spider, that so abound 

 in the south. * * * Our presence did not disturb them in 

 the least, and we watched them catching spiders for half an 

 hour, * * * and we could distinctly see them take the 

 little spider from the center of the wheel where it lies, and 

 swallow it entire. * * * If we shut them up past the time, 

 until they began to look drooping, and then brought one of 

 those little spiders with other insects, they would snap up the 

 spider soon enough, but paid no attention to the others." 



At Somerleaze we have trailing over the veranda many 

 vines of the honeysuckle. In the shade of these has been a 

 favorite place of mine for the observation of many birds, and 

 among them the ruby-throats, who come in large numbers to 

 feed from the chalices of the honeysuckle flowers. To the west 

 of our front lawn is a large bed of perennial flowers, and a good 

 portion of it is given to the various columbines. On a great 

 oak stump on the east lawn is a trumpet vine. The flowers of 

 the columbine and the trumpet vine are favorites with the 

 ruby-throat. Often have I gone and stood very quietly by 

 these and watched it as it worked. 



