Ruby-throated Hummingbird. 



T roc hi! us colubris. 



In the latter part of June 1887 as I was rambling through 

 a pine forest, I noticed a Ruby-throat darting from tree to 

 tree and I stopped to watch its movements, when the 

 thought occured to me a nest might be near, so I stopped 

 and leaning against a tree near by prepared to watch for 

 further developments. She was seated on a limb of one 

 of the trees when presently she darted to a limb on the 

 next tree, and Lo! there, about thirty feet from the ground 

 was her nest. You can imagine my feelings as this was 

 my first nest of the "Pigmy among Birds." Well, I clim b- 

 eu to the nest which contained two eggs. The nest was 

 saddled on a dead pine limb about three feet from the body 

 of the tree, and in getting the nest, the limb on which I 

 was standing broke and threw me, nest and all to the 

 ground breaking both eggs, but not seriously damaging 

 the nest or the Oologist. The nest, which was a most 

 beautiful structure, was composed of cobwebs and lichens 

 and lined with willow clown. From this nest I have tak- 

 en the following measurements: Depth inside .75 inches; 

 Depth outside 2 in. Diam. inside. 80 in. Diam. outside 1.50 

 inches. Inhabiting entire Eastern N. America— in sum- 

 mer — this little bird is quite common in West "Virginia 

 where it builds in May and June, laying two pure white 

 eggs, measureing .50 by .35 -Rebrus. 



