460 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



rapidly vibrating their wings, and by probing the nest with their 

 long beaks, protruding the tongue beyond the mandibles. (This 

 observation was made with a small telescope, through which they 

 appeared larger than English sparrows at arm's length). 



On Sept. 3rd one ventured to a limb a few feet away, where 

 it remained until next day, when the other joined it. They made 

 short flights from limb to limb for a few days, when I lost their 

 whereabouts, and did not see them again. 



About July J^Oth, 1884, another female was frequently seen, 

 and was soon detected at nest-building. The site was near the 

 former one, but several feet higher, and less favourably situated 

 for observation. 



The outside of this nest was complete when first seen, but 

 the bird worked two days longer, carrying tufts of a white material, 

 and each time alighted with them in the nest. My only position 

 for observation being beneath the tree, I could not see her 

 operations. I soon missed her, and the nest seemed deserted. 

 About a month later, being fully convinced that it was empty, I 

 decided to take it down. Mounting an improvised support, the 

 limb was drawn down, and, by standing on tip-toe, I cut it off 

 just above the nest. To my great surprise it held two young 

 birds but a few days old. They resembled in appearance short 

 downy caterpillars, and were about the size of a honey-bee. The 

 nest was placed near its original position, and the old bird 

 continued her attention. It was not well secured, and soon 

 turned, dropping its occupants to the ground. I readily found 

 one by following the bird to where she fed it, but the other was 

 lost. "With some difficulty tlie claws of the former were loosened 

 from the grass, to which it clung with surprising tenacity, and it 

 was again placed in the nest. This time, however, the nest was 

 not elevated to its former position, but placed on a fir near by, 

 and so low that it could be handled. The mother found it at 

 once, and made no objection to the new situation. 



The young bird was soon covered with green glossy feathers ; 

 even the ruby throat was well defined and faintly showed its 

 metallic lustre, thus giving positive evidence of the sex. It 

 was very tame, and was well contented to have its back stroked. 

 On approaching the nest it would greet me with a musical, 

 plaintive, piping note, and beg for food in the most appealing 

 manner. 



