Powers of Resuscitation in Humming birds. 339


POWERS OF RESUSCITATION IN

HUMMING BIRDS.


By Hubert D. Astley.


Not long ago Herr August Fockelmann imported in July,

six or seven of the beautiful little Emerald Green Humming Bird

(Sporadinis ricordi ), which Mr. A. Ezra took charge of, as they were

unfit to continue the voyage from London to Hamburg, having been

improperly fed so that all were almost in a dying condition, their

feathers sticky [not blest ! ] with milk and honey. After constant

nursing, not only by day but also by night! Mr. Ezra successfully

brought one of these lovely little things back to health and strength,

it having' been a living skeleton when he received it- I saw it last

month, figuratively falling on my knees to it. When the cage door

is opened, this little “ Hummer ” darts out looking like an emerald

dragon fly, whirring and hovering close to one with complete

fearlessness, and the next moment away across the room to sip

honey from flowers in a vase. Back again close to one’s head, such

a loud Br-r-r from its pointed swift-like wings, up towards the

ceiling, and in another moment by one’s side, it’s throat glittering

like the most vivid emerald. Absolutely a gem, and causing the 10th

Commandment to be broken to smithereens ! Well ! if a tiny thing'

like that can be brought back from the jaws of death, where many

another species looked upon as far more robust would have

succumbed, it gives one just cause to look forward to Humming

Birds being' kept quite easily, so long' as they are imported

properly and can be kept in a temperature not lower than

65 degrees.


What was very amusing to watch in Mr. Ezra’s little

Emerald Humming Bird was it’s evident intelligence, for it would

hum back into its cage and there take up its position on a perch, or

hang in the air with tremulous wings sipping its food (which is the

same given to the Sunbirds). If, however, one approached and showed

that it was the intention to shut the cage-door, it was out like a

flash of lightning', with absolute steady deliberateness, plainly

saying “ No you don’t,” and still preserving'its calmness of deliberate

movements here and there all over the room, hovering and hum-



