382



Miss Althea R. Sherman,



in the case of the birds the habit does not appear to be a harmful

one. At once she ceases to search the flowers and, like the typical

summer boarder, she sits and waits for the food to be served. Bach

bird appears to have her favorite perch, a dead twig of syringa or

lilac bushes on the north, or on the south in one of the snowball

bushes; the telephone wires on either side of the street offer accept¬

able waiting places at times. Not infrequently I have been intent

upon other duties about the yard and looking up have found a ruby-

throat perched directly overhead, her bright eyes seeming to say “ I

want to be fed.” So complete appears the cessation of the search

for other food that it led to the keeping of a full record for the past

three years of every time one of these birds has been seen catching

insects or searching the natural flowers for food. Most of these

instances noted were, if the whole truth could be learned, probably,

cases of strangers just arrived within our gates that had not yet

acquired the drinking habit.


In 1911 the drinking birds were about our place on 43 days.

During that time on only four occasions was a humming bird seen

catching insects or probing the flowers. A large number of plants

called “ Star of Bethlehem” had been raised, these flowers in previous

summers having proved a great attraction to the rubythroat in the

yard of a friend living two miles distant; but our drinking birds

were never seen to visit these flowers. After their departure strange

humming birds searched them thoroughly, as well as the phlox,

tiger lilies, sweet peas, nasturtiums, and clover. These strangers

were present on 12 days. In 1912 the drinkers were with us on 77

days, and were seen but 10 times seeking other food than syrup. In

1913 for 49 days the drinking birds imbibed, and on nine occasions

a humming bird was seen gathering food elsewhere. In the 169

days that make the grand total for the three summers, the rubv-

throats were seen drinking syrup between one and two thousand

times ; they were seen collecting food away from the bottles 23 times ;

but one can not be positive that insect food was always taken then.

Never for an instant was one of these birds in captivity, and there

was the utmost freedom for it in choice of food.


This choice of a sugar diet, together with the large amount

consumed, caused surprise, and soon called forth the estimate that a



