SCIENCE 



NEW YORK, OCTOBER 28. 1893. 



THE HUMMING-BIRD'S FOOD. 



BT MORRIS GIBBS, M D. 



Tms article refers to the ruby-throat, the only representative 

 •of this interesting fam-ly in our State. Much has been written 

 regarding the food of this species, and yet I am satisfied that 

 but few accurate notes have been offered to the readers. The 

 writer offers observations taken with a view to learninst of the 

 feeding habits, and does not pretend to assert that others' notes, 

 however conflicting, are not correct. Locality has everything to 

 do with the habits of birds, and the requirements of the same 

 species may differ vastly in a slight variation, either in latitude 

 or longitude. Again, the resources of a region may radically 

 alter the food habits of any and all animals. Certain it is, that 

 my observations convince me, contrary to all writings that I have 

 seen, that the food of the ruby-throated humming-bird is mainly 

 honey, and that these little fellows do not rely to any extent on 

 an insect diet. 



Years ago I captured several in our flower-garden with my in- 

 sect net, and, in accordance with the views of all books read, 

 they were offered insects as food, but invariably completely ig- 

 nored everything of this nature set before them. No matter 

 whether I gave them the liberty of a large room or confined the 

 frightened creatures in my hand or a small box, the result was 

 invariably the same; all insect food was refused, whether small 

 beetles, or even those minute flies or goats, often common about 

 honey-producing flowers. However, on releasing the captive, it 

 would immediately visit the flowers, and appear to revel in the 

 exploration of the deep recesses of the fuchsias and trumpet- 

 creepers. One immature specimen that I caught would sip 

 sugar-water from my hand, and even protrude its delicate tongue 

 for the sweets to be so easily had. This young one was so very 

 unsophisticated that it had to be taught regarding the honey-water, 

 by dipping its tiny, slender beak into the sticky mass, after which 

 it quickly learned. The old ones only fluttered in my hand, and 

 would not eat, but would apparently enjoy that which was forced 

 into their bills. But, left to themselves and watched secretly, 

 they could be seen indulging in the sweets provided for them. If 

 held carefully and an insect forced between their mandibles, they 

 invariably ejected it with a snap of the bill and a side jerk of the 

 head. 



Of the wild flowers of Michigan, there are many species which 

 the hummers visit regularly, but as nearly all of these flowers are 

 so far from my residence, it follows that my observations are 

 mainly made from our house-plants and garden flowers. Of all 

 of the uncultivated species that I know, the flowers of the wild 

 crab-apple are most sought after by the ruby-throat, and during 

 the season, about the middle of May, a hundred birds may be seen 

 in a few hours about a group of these trees. There are very few 

 insects on the crabs, and in wet days none, and yet the hummers 

 swarm about. They must come alone for sweets. One point in 

 relation to my theory of the hummer's love for honey would seem 

 to receive a challenge, and it is, that the ruby-throat rarely 

 hovers over the common red and white clover. Now, as we 

 know, red clover is one of the sweetest of flowers, and a head is 

 agreeable to anyone's palate, while the white clover is a great 

 favorite with the hone3'-bee. My reply to this is, that the indi- 

 vidual flower' is too small for the ruby-throat's attention. 



On our piazza in the city are a number of house-plants, some 

 growing in a hanging-box, others in pots on a stand, while several 



species of out door perennials and annuals flourish in a bed just 

 below, and a large creeper clambers near. It is safe to say that 

 from early morning till evening twilight there will be an average 

 of one visit every half-hour by the hummers to this collection. 

 So unsuspicious have they become that one can study them at a 

 yard's distance. One advantage in observing them is that they 

 always make their presence known by their pleasant humming 

 and a faint, sharp chirp ; thus warning one when to lay aside the 

 book and watch their movements. 



On first appearing, they immediately dash towards the fuchsias, 

 which are their greatest attraction, and the next best is the 

 trumpet-creeper, and then the selection appears to them indiffer- 

 ent, as the pelargoniums, nasturtiums, morning-glories, and others 

 are visited indiscriminately. However, the fuchsias are first 

 choice, and, wondering at their preference, I examined the blos- 

 soms thoroughly for insects and sweets. In very few cases, and 

 at rare intervals, I found small insects, as no others can reach the 

 heart of the flower; but in every case I met with a most refreshing 

 nectar, — to be sure, in very small quantity to us, but to a hum- 

 mer, a most plentiful supply. Let my readers pluck a full-blown 

 fuchsia blossom, and cutting into the calyx near the stem end, 

 apply the part to the tip of the tongue, and they will be fully 

 convinced why the hummer is partial to this beautiful pendant 

 flower. 



Thinking to test their fondness for sugar, some was dissolved 

 and then dropped deeply into the blossoms of the creeper. In the 

 course of the hour, in their rounds, the busy birds found the bait, 

 and fully thrice the amount of time was spent on the extra- 

 sweetened flowers as was occupied over those of nature's honeying. 

 The sweetening attracted many insects in the course of the day, 

 principally ants and small flies and gnats, but not one instance of 

 their capture could I detect, although careful record of the num- 

 ber of insects in each flower was kept, and the flower examined 

 after each bird departed. 



The movements of the hummers when visiting a bed of flowers 

 are interesting. With a dash it is among us with the characteris- 

 tic impetuosity of its kind, but it is not then detected by the ear, 

 as the noise of a flying bird is but slight and not always heard. 

 It is when the bright, red-throated fellow stops in mid-air that 

 we hear his rapidly-vibrating wings, always loudest when he 

 makes a sudden side-movement from flower to flower. Selecting 

 a flower, after a second's inspection of his surroundings, a rush is 

 made toward it at a very rapid rate, but just as we think he will 

 fly past or against the blossom, he stops — stops instantly. In the 

 fraction of a second he introduces his tiny, but long, slim bill 

 into the heart of the flower, and then is away to the^next. The 

 swiftness with which this delicate bird travels about, exploring 

 hundreds of flowers each hour of the day, and from^arly morn- 

 ing till twilight is truly a marvel. 



At each insertion of the tiny beak, his mobile tongue'is'thrust 

 out and from side to side, and the sweets, and, I think, some pol. 

 len, are drawn into its mouth. The tip of the tongue is peculiarly 

 and beautifully constructed for this purpose, and with^the perfect 

 adaptability of its slender, delicate bill, the bird is endowed with 

 the means of securing sweets, possessed by no other group of 

 birds. 



In conclusion, I will say that I have carefully dissected many 

 humming-birds, both old and young, but have never found any- 

 thing to convince me that the birds lived on insects. It may be 

 that at times when flowers are scarce some species of insects are 

 captured, but I am satisfied that in season, when flowers are 

 abundant, that the ruby-throat of Michigan lives on honey. 



Kalamazoo, Atlcbig^u, 



