106



A French Member of the Society,



was the wrong time of the year ” (it always is); or the people “ had

thought it useless to procure birds that could not possibly live in

captivity.” etc., etc. In short, our expedition looked exceedingly like

a failure, until luck turned at last and brought better prospects. It

was March 9th, 1914, our steamer rode at anchor off the little harbour

of Basse-Terre, in the island of Guadeloupe, when at about 11 pan.

I was roused from peaceful slumbers and informed that a cage full

of Humming-birds had just been taken on the ship. They were in

a bamboo cage, about half-a-dozen of them, in fairly good condition,

being fortunately, freshly-caught birds,—most had been captured

that very day. We discovered two species : Eulampis holosericeus

and Eulampis jugularis* And gorgeous they looked under the glare

of the electric lamps in the cabin, the latter especially, in their

dress of purplish velvet, with a huge ruby shining at the throat and

sapphire at the base of the tail; their long, slender bodies and

sickle-shaped wings, clinging, bat-like, to the sides of the cage,

their tiny claws clasping its bars, wild terror reflected in

their attitude and in their brilliant eyes. In less than ten

minutes we had boiling water, and the syrup was offered them

in little tin-feeders, similar to those used for my Sun-birds.

Some would not look at it, but several, I noted with joy, soon

decided that desirable food lessens most sufferings, and were speedily

lapping it up, inserting their long, thin beaks into the small holes

provided for the purpose in the lid of the tins. A note from the

catcher, delivered with the birds, informed me that, as desired, a

pair of Banana-Quits had been obtained and put in with the

Hummers; also that I must be careful to leave the latter in their

company, as the quits would act as teachers “ to the hummers,”

who, without their guidance, would not eat the food, and would

assuredly starve themselves to death. This, however, proved to be

one of the many ridiculous legends prevalent in the islands with

regard to these birds : for their greed greatly exceeds their timidity

which latter is apparent, not real, and vanishes incredibly soon, and

they generally yield to the temptations of the syrup, if they are only

held in the hand, whilst their beaks are dipped in the mixture. To



* Mr, A. Ezra successfully exhibited E. jugularis and Sporadinus ricordi

at the Cage Bird Show in the Horticultural Hall (London) in November 1914.



