HUMMING-BIRDS. 107 



But of the various ways employed by these birds 

 to procure an insect prey, the most singular as well as 

 dangerous to themselves, is that of seizing the half- 

 dead entangled flies from the webs of the large Mexican 

 bird-spider whose name implies a power to seize and 

 detain some of the weaker at least of the feathered 

 race. It is thus detailed by Mr Bullock, and is so 

 curious that the account must be given without abridge- 

 ment: " The house I resided in at Zalappa for several 

 weeks, on my return to Vera Cruz, was only one story 

 high, enclosing, like most of the Spanish houses, a 

 small garden in the centre, the roof projecting six or 

 seven feet from the walls, covering a walk all round, 

 and leaving a small space only between the tiles and 

 the trees which grew in the centre. From the edges 

 of these tiles to the branches of the trees in the garden, 

 the spiders had spread their innumerable webs so 

 closely and compactly, that they resembled a net. I 

 have frequently watched, with much amusement, the 

 cautious peregrinations of the humming-bird, who, 

 advancing beneath the web, entered the various laby- 

 rinths and cells in search of entangled flies ; but as 

 the larger spiders did not tamely surrender their booty, 

 the invader was often compelled to retreat. Being 

 within a few feet, I could observe all their evolutions 

 with great precision. The active little bird generally 

 passed once or twice round the court, as if to recon- 

 noitre his ground, and commenced his attack by going 

 carefully under the nets of the wily insect, and seizing 

 by surprise the smallest entangled flies, or those that 



