216 THE MANGO HUMMING-BIRD. 



The home of the Mango Humming-Bird is in 

 the West Indies, and in the flowery land of 

 Florida. 



Parts of this beautiful country abound with 

 flowers ; so much so, that its name has been given 

 to it on this very account. Orange and lemon 

 trees grow wild in the utmost abundance, and 

 their blossoms afford a delicious banquet to the 

 birds. Cotton is produced in great plenty in this 

 tropical clime ; and the rich dye called indigo is 

 brought from here. 



The indigo -plant is a child of the sun, and 

 cannot thrive anywhere but in the Tropics. 

 Indeed, it requires a certain temperature to enable 

 it to vegetate. 



It is a shrub-like plant, rising about two feet 

 from the ground, and its leaves a little resemble 

 those of the acacia. When it begins to flower, 

 the owner of the plantation cuts it down with a 

 sickle ; and then it will sprout again, and bear a 

 second crop. In this genial clime, the planter 

 will sometimes obtain four crops a year. 



In the mighty forests of this part of the world, 



