70 AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



Their principal food is the nectar found at the bottom of tubular- 

 shaped flowers, which they extract while on the wing by means of their 

 long and slender bill. Their bill, by the way, is shaped according to 

 the flower it feeds upon, and their long tongue is "bifid and filiform 

 nearly to the base." This enables them to make short work of the 

 beetles and winged insects which are captured within the carollas of 

 flowers. It is a well known fact that a caged Hummer will droop and 

 die if fed on exclusive honey diet. But in their rural state they vary 

 their delightful diet with a "tender spider or a dainty ant." Last sum- 

 mer I grew quite familiar with one Hummer thru his frequent visitations 

 to the cannas and late Easter lilies. Every morning and evening he 

 fairly gobbled down the surplus honey-dew, slayiny all the unwelcome 

 intruders, and then this cannibal king feasted himself sick on all the 

 delicacies within his domain. 



Every year these emerald pygmies are guided by the migratory im- 

 pulses, and are seen in this vicinity by the first day of June. In ten 

 days nest building is in progress, but they remain and luxuriate through- 

 our Indian summer until September, and again that strange instinct 

 guides them, in all possibility, back to the West Indies. Yet, their 

 manner is not affected by latitude, very quick and active as they dart 

 in the sunlight and display their bright colors. The note usually heard 

 from the Hummer is a squeak which seems to be an expression of 

 nervousness or annoyance, and is uttered whenever an intruder 

 approaches its nest. It will ofted hover around the head of the intrud- 

 er, squeaking and fluttering, defiantly inviting battle, all for the sake of 

 its young ones. 



Their nest is generally found firmly attached to some dry limb of a 

 tree. It is difficult to locate one, for they are so often mistaken for a 

 small kuot. The edge of the nest curves in, probably to prevent the 

 contents from getting spilled out. Internally, it is lined with the soft- 

 est vegetable fibers, and externally, whether put on purposely or for 

 ornament, are chips of lichens and soft mosses, glued on with the bird's 

 saliva. Ten days after the nest is built, two eggs are laid, about the 

 size of peas, and are hatched after an interval of three weeks. Then the 

 female is kept constantly busy feeding them, for the male absents him- 

 self as soon as incubation begins. I once saw the female probe the 

 little ones in such a way that it sent a cold chill thru me. When the 

 little Hummers grow, they also grow more pugnacious and quarrelsome 

 among themselves, and the little black-capped Chickadee retreats before 

 them without the slightest risistence, as if he had long ago acknow- 

 ledged their superiority. A friendly duel is the "acme of Humming 

 bird happiness," and then they come together with about as much noise 



