Plumage and Habits of Hummingbirds 555 



with a tongue that may be extended nearly as far beyond its tip. Usually the 

 bill is straight, but in one group it is curved downward until it makes a third 

 of a circle, whence these birds are very appropriately called the Sickle-billed 

 Hummers. In others, again, it is turned upward. 



Plumage. The plumage is likewise subject to great variation, particularly 

 in the feathers of the tail, which are always ten in number. In many species 

 these feathers are regularly graduated as in the Rufous-backed, or slightly 

 forked as in the Ruby-throated; in others the outer feathers are elongated or 

 ribbon-like, producing deeply forked tails; again, the two outer feathers are 

 produced with a terminal enlarged portion, quite like a tennis racket, giving rise 

 to the name of the Racket-tails. The feathers of the head and throat, which 

 usually show the most brilliant coloring, are often curiously developed. There 

 are crests ranging from those so short as to be hardly noticeable to those that are 

 longer than the whole head. The throat-feathers, or gorget as it is called, are 

 often elongated, producing frills, ruffs, or beard-like effects, the variation in 

 these respects being almost infinite. 



Habits. Hummingbirds are usually fearless little creatures, coming boldly 

 into the presence of human beings, or even entering houses, where after flying 

 about for a few moments they alight on some convenient place and begin to 

 arrange their feathers. They rarely show much fear on being handled, and 

 within a few minutes after capture may take syrup or honey from the hand. 

 They are also very pugnacious, darting furiously at one another, and not hesitat- 

 ing to attack birds as large as Crows, Hawks, or Eagles, and cases are on record, 

 too, of their darting at the head and eyes of a person who had approached too 

 closely to their nest. During the nesting time each pair seems to appropriate or 

 lay claim to a certain area, and woe betide the other birds who would venture 

 to intrude ! Like a flash of light, one or both parent birds dash at the intruder 

 until he is usually glad to beat a retreat. 



Voice. In the matter of voice the Hummingbirds play a very insignificant 

 part. Their ordinary note is a weak twitter or squeak, quite like the notes of 

 the Swifts, yet two or three species are known to possess a low warbling song. 

 Thus the Vervain Hummingbird (Mellisuga minima), which has already been 

 mentioned, is said to be "fond of sitting on the topmost branch of a mango or 

 orange tree, where it warbles in a very weak, but very sweet, tone a continuous 

 melody for ten minutes at a time." The Wedge-tailed Saber-wing (Sphenoproc- 

 tus cun-ipennis) of Mexico is also said to have a distinctive though weak song, 

 and the Costa's Hummingbird (Calypte costce) of southern California, Arizona, 

 and Mexico often gives voice to a very delicate song. Lieutenant \Virt Robin- 

 son gives the following account of the song of the Buff-breasted Hummingbird 

 (Doleromya pallida) as he heard it on the island of Margarita: "On the second 

 day after my arrival at Margarita I was hunting in the scrub when I heard the 

 notes of a bird singing near at hand. I at first thought it was the Gnat-catcher, 

 which was common thereabouts, but as it struck me that the song was louder 

 than a Gnat-catcher's, I walked up quietly and, to my surprise, discovered that 

 it emanated from a Hummingbird. It is a great mistake to think that Humming- 



