154 The Wilson Bulletin — No. 85 



were carefully painted with oil colors, the first to represent 

 a nasturtium, and the second a tiger-lily. 



In iVugust of 1907 upon the appearance of a Humming-bird 

 about our flowers the artificial nasturtium, tacked to a stick, 

 was placed near a clump of blooming phlox, and its bottle 

 was filled with a syrup made of granulated sugar dissolved 

 in water. The next day a female Ruby-throat was seen 

 searching the depths of tiger-lilies that grew north of the 

 house ; as she flew to the east of the house she was instantly 

 followed, and was seen drinking from the artificial flower 

 for the space of about a minute, after which she flew to a 

 rose-bush, wiped her bill and rested a brief time before fly- 

 ing away. This was about noon. She returned at intervals 

 of about a half hour for the next three hours, then at 3 :10 

 o'clock she came back to search quite thoroughly the phlox 

 blossoms, this being the first time she had paid any attention 

 to them after finding the syrup. Ten minutes later she drank 

 deeply from the bottle, and was seen no more that day. 



In this way began the feeding of the Ruby-throated Hum- 

 mingbirds, which has been continued each summer since 

 1907 with a varying number of birds. The first season it 

 appeared that but a single bird found the bottled sweets. 

 Perhaps it was the same bird that came the following sum- 

 mer, and was not joined by a second Hummingbird until the 

 latter part of August. In 1909 the number was gradually 

 augmented until seven of these birds were present together. 

 The following year there were days when again seven came 

 at one time; since then four have been the largest number 

 seen together. 



The days and weeks are calm and quiet ones when 

 a single bird has the bottles to herself. More or less fight- 

 ing ensues as soon as another bird comes on the scene, 

 and the tumult of battle increases with each new arrival 

 until the presence of six or seven of these tiny belligerents 

 makes the front yard appear like the staging of a ballet. 

 With clashing sounds and continuous squeaking cries they 

 chase each other about, often swinging back and forth in 



