The humming noise, which has occasioned its popular name, is produced by the 

 air set in vibration by the extraordinarily rapid beats of its wings when it poises over 

 the flower from which it extracts both honey and the insects which, like itself, are 

 fond of that sweet substance, or perhaps are entrapped in its viscous grasp. Its only 

 utterance is a sharp chirp or squeak. 



No bird is so easily or quickly tamed as this, or so difficult to maintain alive when 

 in captivity. A lady friend of the writer once found one on her porch overcome by the 

 coldness of an unseasonable Summer day. She took it to her room and revived it 

 by the warmth of her hands, and soon had the satisfaction of seeing it flitting about 

 with apparent cheerfulness, hovering over some potted plants or alighting on her hand 

 or head with charming confidence. The bird was detained for several weeks, fed mean- 

 while on sweetened water presented to it by means of a medicine dropper, into the 

 tube of which it thrust its long bill, poising itself in the air for the operation. 



One fine, bright day it darted out through an opened window and was seen no more. 



