308 



Passeres.- 



-BIRDS. TROCHii-in.E. 



a portion of their food, and have been regarded by 

 many natiirahsts as forming nearly their whole nour- 

 ishment. From the observations of modern ornitholo- 

 gists, however, tliere would appear to be no doubt that 

 the Humming-birds are decidedly insectivorous, and 

 that their principal object in visiting the flowers, about 

 which they hover from morning till night, is to obtain 

 the small beetles and other injects which abound 

 amongst the petals. Hovering in the air with its wings 

 in such rapid motion as to be quite invisible, or only 

 apparent like a grey mist on each side of the bird, the 

 little Humming-bird buries its long bill in the interior 

 of a flower, and then protruding its forked tongue, which 

 is said to be indued with a viscid secretion, it readily 

 seizes the little beetles and other insects which are 

 attracted by the nectar, and retracting its tongue, 

 swallows them immediately. While thus occupied, 

 the rapidlj'-vibrating wings produce a humming noise, 

 whence the name applied to the birds. Some of the 

 species do not depend wholly upon flowers for their 

 supply of insect food, but have been observed capturing 

 flies on the wing in the same way as the Flycatchers — 

 namely, by taking up a post of observation upon the 

 tip of a dead branch or twig, and flying off in pursuit 

 of their prey as soon as it comes within sight. The 

 males are described as very pugnacious in their habits, 

 rarely meeting without a battle, when the vanquished 

 bird is compelled to quit the field ; and the victor 

 returns to feast upon the flowers, for which lie has 

 fought so bravely. An immense number of species of 

 these beautiful birds liave been described ; but of these 

 \ve can only refer to comparatively very few. For 

 further information upon their forms and habits, illus- 

 trated by the most life-like figures, the reader must 

 consult Mr. (jould's magnificent work, the " Monogi'aph 

 of the Troehih'die." 



THE EUBY-THROATED HUMMING-BIED (TrochUus 

 fo/»6;'/6-), one ofthe most widely distributed species of tliis 

 family, is a beautiful bird, of a rich golden-green colour 

 above, and white, with a golden-green tinge beneath, 

 except on the throat which is of the most brilliant ruby 

 red; the wings and tail are purplish-brown, and the bill, 

 eyes, and feet black. The female differs from the male 

 in the absence of the brilliant crimson colour on the 

 throat, and in having the tail featliers tipped with white. 

 The total length of the bird is three inches and a half 

 Like many other Humming-birds, the Ruby-throat is 

 migratory; but its wanderings extend to a far greater 

 distance than those of any other species. It passes the 

 winter in tlie warm regions of Central America, and 

 about the month of March sets off on its migrations 

 towards the north. In the course of this month it 

 arrives in the southern states of the American Union, 

 and thence gradually advances, reaching the latitude of 

 New York generally in May. From the northern 

 states it passes into Canada, and even visits the terri- 

 tories of Hudson's Bay Company. In all these districts 

 it breeds, and in some places rears two broods in 

 the year. 



The nest, as described by Wilson, is generally fixed 

 on the upper side of a horizontal branch, not among 

 the twigs, but on the body of the branch itself. It is 

 •ibuut an inch in diameter, composed externally of 



fragments of lichen glued on with a sort of saliva, 

 within which is a thick layer of the wings of certain 

 seeds ; and the whole is lined with the fine down of the 

 mullein and of the stalks of ferns. The base of the 

 nest is continued round the branch, so that when viewed 

 from below, it appears to be a mere mossy knob or pro- 

 tuberance. In some cases, it is built against the moss- 

 grown trunk of an old tree, and occasionally upon the 

 strong stem of some low gi'owing plant. The eggs are 

 two in number, and pure white. Tubular flowers con- 

 stitute the favourite resort of this Humming-bird ; and 

 Wilson's description of his behaviour about a thicket of 

 full-blown trnrapct-flowers may be given here as an 

 illustration of the habits of this bird. " He poises or 

 suspends himself on wing," siiys ^^'ilson, " for the space 

 of two or three seconds, so steadily that his wings be- 

 come invisible, or onl}' like a mist; and you can [ilainly 

 distinguish the pupil of his eye looking round with great 

 quickness and circumspection. The glossy golden green 

 of his back and the fire of his throat, dazzling in the 

 sun, form altogether a most interesting appeai'ance. 

 When he' alights, which he frequently does, he always 

 prefers the small dead twigs of a tree or bush, wheie 

 he dresses and arranges his plumage with great dex- 

 terity. His only note is a single chirp, not louder than 

 that of a small cricket or grasshopper, generally uttered 

 while passing from flower to flower, or when engaged 

 in fight with his fellows: for when the males meet at 

 the same bush or flower, a battle instantly takes place, 

 and the combatants ascend in the air, chirping, darting, 

 and circling round each other, till the eye is no longer 

 able to follow them. The con(iueror, however, gene- 

 rally returns to the place to reap the I'ruits of his victory." 

 Mr. Gould, who saw great numbers of these birds at 

 Washington, does not give them so pugnacious a char- 

 acter, and is inclined to think that it must be duriiig 

 the breeding season that the males are so quarrelsome. 

 "The flight of the Humming-bird," says Wilson, 

 " from flower to flower, gi'eatly resembles that of a 

 bee, but is so much more rapid, that llie latter appears 

 a mere loiterer to him. He poises himself on wing, 

 while he thrusts his long, slender, tubular tongue into 

 the flowers in search of food. He sometimes enters a 

 room by the window, examines the bouquets of flowers, 

 and passes out by the opposite door or window. He 

 has been known to take refuge in a hothouse during 

 the cool nights of autumn, to go regularly out in the 

 morning, and to return as regularly in the evening, for 

 several days together." The food of this species, accord- 

 ing to Audubon, consists principall)' of insects, usually 

 small beetles, which, with some equally diminutive 

 flies, are commonly found in the stomach. The pug- 

 city of the Humming-bird is displayed not only in 

 combats with his own species; he will frequentl}' attack 

 the king bird and the martin with some degree of suc- 

 cess ; and an old French writer declared that he could 

 drive liis slender bill into the body of a crow with 

 such vigour, as to bring even this gigantic opponent to 

 the ground ! A still more absurd notion, which we 

 have seen published not long since, is, that the Hum- 

 ming-bird will overcome even the eagle by perching 

 on his head and picking out the feathers from that part 

 of the king of birds! 



