62 cassei.l's book of birds. 



horizontal branch, not among the twigs, but where it is attached by the side to an old moss-grown 

 trunk ; others may be found fastened on a strong, rank stalk or weed in the gardens, but these cases 

 are rare. The nest, which is usually jilaced on a branch some ten feet from tlie ground, is about one 

 inch in diameter, and as much in depth, and the outer coat of one now lying before me is formed of 

 a small species of blueish grey lichen, thickly glued on with the saliva of the bird, giving firmness and 

 consistency to the whole, as well as keeping out moisture. Within this are thickly-matted layers of 

 the fine wings of certain flying seeds, closely laid together, and lastly the downy substance from the 

 great mullein and from the stalks of the common fern lining the whole. The two eggs are pure wliite, 

 and of equal thickness at both ends. On a person approaching their nest, the little proprietors dart 

 around with a humming sound, passing within a (tw inches of his head, and should the young be 

 nearly hatched the female will resume her place on the nest, even while the spectator stands within 

 a yard or two of the spot. The precise period of incubation I am unable to give, but the young are 

 accustomed, within a short time of leaving the nest, to thrust their bills into the mouths of their 

 parents and suck out what they have brought them. As I have found their nests as late as the 

 1 2th of July, I do not doubt but that they frequendy and perhaps usually raise two broods in 

 the season. 



" This Humming Bird is extremely fond of tubular flowers, and I have often stopped to observe 

 his manceuvres among the blossoms of the trumpet flower, ^\'hen arrived before a thicket of these 

 in full bloom, he poises or suspends himself on wing for the space of two or three seconds so steadily 

 that his wings become invisible or only like a mist, and you can plainly distinguish the pupil of his 

 eye looking round with great quickness and circumspection ; the glossy golden green of his tail and 

 the fire of his throat dazzling in the sun form altogether a most beautiful appearance. When he 

 alights, which he frequently does, he always prefers the dry twigs of a tree or bush, where he dresses 

 and arranges his plumage with great dexterity. His only note is a single chirp, not louder than that 

 of a small cricket or grasshopper, generally uttered while passing from flower to flower, or when 

 engaged in fight with his fellows ; for when two males meet at the same bush or flower a battle 

 instantly takes place, and the combatants ascend in the air, chirping, darting, and circling round each 

 other till the eye is no longer able to follow them — the conqueror, however, generally returns to the 

 place to reap the fruit of his victory. I have seen him attack and, for a few moments, tease the 

 King Bird, and have also seen him in his turn assaulted by a humble bee, which he soon put 

 to flight. 



" This beautiful and delicate species is extremely susceptible of cold, and if long deprived of the 

 animating influence of the sunbeams droops and soon dies. A very fine male which was brought to 

 me I put into a wire cage, and placed it in a retired, shaded part of the room. After fluttering about 

 for some time, the weather being uncommonly cool, it clung to the wires and seemed in a torpid state 

 for the whole forenoon. No movement of breathing could be perceived on the closest inspection, 

 though at other times this is remarkably observable, the eyes were shut, and when touched with the 

 finger it gave no signs of life or motion. I carried it out into the open air, and placed it directly in 

 the rays of the sun ; in a few seconds respiration became very apparent, the bird breathed faster and 

 faster, opened its eyes, and began to look about with as much seeming vivacity as ever. After it had 

 completely recovered it flew off to the top of a pine-tree, where it sat for some time dressing its 

 disordered plumage, and then shot off like a meteor. 



The flight of this Humming Bird from flower to flower greatly resembles that of a bee, but is so 

 much more rapid that the latter appears a mere loiterer in comparison with him. He poises himself 

 on wing, while he thrusts his long, slender, tubular tongue into the flowers in search of food. He 

 sometimes enters a room by the window, examines the bouquets of flowers, and has been known to 



