70 HUMMING-BIRDS. 



have similar changes. The common black head- 

 ed Gull gains its soft and chaste looking cowl ; the 

 Teal, Wild Drake, and Goosander, their glossy heads; 

 the Divers, the curious markings of their throats ; 

 the Grebes the lengthened fringes which spring from 

 their cheeks or auricular feathers ; and instances of 

 the change of colour, or increased brilliancy of the 

 skin, may be mentioned in the naked space surround- 

 ing the eye of the Pheasant, the skin above the eyes 

 of the various Grouse, and the forehead of the Coot 

 and Water-Hen. Many other common instances 

 might be given from our own well-known birds ; and 

 the inhabitants of other climes will present many still 

 more singular, though none perhaps so splendid, as 

 the temporary adornments of Humming-birds. 



Regarding their manners during the breeding sea- 

 son, we may mention, in addition to what was re- 

 lated in the introductory chapter to the first volume, 

 that both male and female sit by turns, and, on the 

 authority of M. Drapiez, that there are two, three, 

 and sometimes four broods in the year. This last 

 fact will enable us better to account for the immense 

 profusion of these little birds which are generally found 

 together. Their nest seems to be built in a greater 

 variety of shapes, and of more varied materials, than 

 the compact and elegant structures which we see in 

 collections, and which have been sent to this country, 

 more from their beauty and neatness than for the 

 sake of increasing our knowledge of their formation. 

 The following remarks upon the manners of the 



