THE RUBY-THROATED HUMMING BIRD. 91 



forth and dispatched in a moment, when the 

 bird departs, after sipping a little of the liquid 

 honey gratefully given by the flower to its 

 champioti. This beautiful creature seems to pos- 

 sess great activity of flight. " The whole struc- 

 ture of these birds is adapted for flight; their 

 feet are very small, their tail is large, their wings 

 are very long and narrow." * Sometimes, the 

 humming of its wings telling its approach, it is 

 seen within a few feet, when one is suddenly 

 astonished at the rapidity with which it soars, 

 and is out of sight and hearing in a moment. 

 Its flight is performed in long undulations. It 

 does not alight on the ground, but settles on 

 twigs and branches, where it moves sideways in 

 prettily measured steps, often opening and shut- 

 ting its wings in " silent ecstasy." After pluming 

 and shaking, as if arranging its splendid apparel, 

 it is fond of spreading one wing at a time, and 

 passing each of the feathers through its bill, the 

 wing being thus rendered extremely transparent, 

 and glittering in the light. Not unfrequently 

 it is chased by a large kind of humble bee, of 

 which it haughtily disdains to take notice, as in 

 a minute its rapid journeying leaves the drone 

 far behind. Its nest is of a peculiarly delicate 

 nature, the outer parts being of a light gray 



* White's Popular History of Birds, p. 66. 



