THE SEARCHERS'. 47 



the spring rains had covered them with a profusion of beautiful blossoms, each consisting of a 

 multitude of crimson stamens with very minute petals, like bunches of crimson tassels, but the last 

 buds were only beginning to open. A Humming Bii-d had every day and all day long been paying 

 his devoirs to these charming blossoms. On the morning to which I allude another appeared, and 

 the manceuvres of these two tiny creatures became very interesting. They chased each other through 

 the labyrinths of twigs and flowers till, an opportunity occurring, one would dart \vith seeming fuiy 

 upon the other, and then, with a loud rustling of iheir wings, they would twirl together round and round 

 until they nearly came to the earth. It was some time before I could see with any distinctness what 

 took place in these tussles ; their twistings were so rapid as to baffle all attempts at discrimination. 

 At length an encounter took place pretty close to me, and I perceived that the beak of the one 

 grasped the beak of the other, and, thus fastened, both whirled round in their perpendicular descent, 

 the point of contact being the centre of the gyrations, till, when another second would have brought 

 them to the ground, they separated, and the one chased the other for about a hundred yards and then 

 returned in triumph to the tree, where, perched on a lofty twig, he chirped monotonously and 

 pertinaciously for a time, I could not help thinking, in defiance. In a few minutes the banished one 

 returned, and began chirping no less provokingly, which soon brought on another chase and another 

 tussle. I am persuaded that these were both hostile encounters, for the one seemed evidently afraid 

 of the other, fleeing when he pursued, though his indomitable spirit would prompt the chirp of 

 defiance, and when resting after a battle I noticed that the vanquished one held his beak open as if 

 panting. Sometimes they would suspend hostilities to suck a few blossoms, but mutual proximity 

 was sure to bring them on again with the same result. In their tortuous and rapid evolutions the 

 light from their ruby necks would flash in the sun with gem-like radiance, and as they now and then 

 hovered motionless, the broadly-expanded tail — the outer feathers of which were crimson-purple, but 

 in the sun's rays transmitted orange-coloured light — added much to their beauty. A little Banana 

 Quit iCerthiolafiaveola). that was peeping among the blossoms in his o\vn quiet way, seemed now and 

 then to look with surprise on the combatants ; but when the one had driven the other to a longer 

 distance than usual the victor set upon the unoffending Quit, who soon yielded the point, and retired 

 humbly enough to a neighbouring tree. The war — for it was a thorough campaign, a regular 

 succession of battles — lasted fully an hour, and then I was called away from my post of observation. 

 Both of the Humming Birds appeared to be males." 



According to Gosse, the Vervain Humming Bird is the only species endowed with a song ; 

 this bird warbles very weakly but sweetly for ten minutes at a time during the spring months. The 

 other members of this family at most indulge in a sharp shrill chirp, as they flit from one flower 

 to another. 



The GIANT GNOMES (Eusiephaims\ the largest members of the family, are not conspicuous 

 for the gaiety of their plumage. The structure of their long beak varies considerably ; the foot is of 

 moderate size ; the wings either long and slender or broad and short ; the tail, which is of medium 

 length, is forked at its extremity. 



THE GIANT HUMMING bIrD. 



The Giant Humming Bird {Patagona gigas) is pale brown shaded with green on the upper 

 portions of the body ; the wings are greyish yellow ; the head, upper breast, and back are marked 

 with dark undulating lines ; the wings and tail-feathers are dark brown, the latter enlivened by a green 

 gloss. This species is two inches long. 



The Giant Humming Bird inhabits the southern parts of Western America, appearing also in the 



