AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY 31 



TAME HUMMINGBIRDS. 



I would like to tell you about our three humming birds. We had a 

 large bed of salvias and I had noticed the birds among the flowers for 

 some time. One day in September while I was out near the flowers a 

 bird came and held himself suspended close in front of me and seemed 

 to be trying to get acquainted. I kept quiet and he seemed to make up 

 his mind that I meant him no harm, so he settled himself to his dinner. 

 Two more soon came and from that time until September twenty-first 

 they were here most of the time, and seemed to have no fear, often 

 resting in reach of my hand, and one day eating from a bunch of 

 flowers that I was holding. We enjoyed their visits as often as we 

 had time to go into the garden. The twentieth and twenty-first of 

 September they seemed to be very hungry, but I think it was because 

 they were preparing for flight, as after that time they came no more. 

 They had great sport playing tag around us and knocking each other 

 down and screaming about it and then coming to us and sitting on a 

 bush near us and chipping. We shall miss the dear little sunshine 

 birds and watch for their first appearance in spring. 



Laura B. Shailer, Haddam, Conn. 



NUMERICAL ENIGMA, 



I am composed of 23 letters. 

 7-8-3-17-18 is a common bird. 

 20-2-19 is an insect. 



4-8-2—15-9-4 have 5-8 work to 9-11-10 this, 20-14-5 I think you can 

 12-8—10-6-9-5. 



Always try to be 19-8-8-23 and 4-8-2 will be happy. 



G. L. Harrington, Langdon, Minn. 



SEARCH QUESTIONS, 



1. How do Flickers, Hummingbirds and Doves prepare the food 

 for their young? 



2. What bird has the power of moving the tip of its upper mandible 

 independentlv of the lower one? 



3. What water bird uses its wings as a second pair of legs when 

 traveling over the ground? 



4. What five gaily dressed birds have dull colored'mates. 



