ulously moving its wings while passing 

 from flower to flower, or when taking a 

 more distant flight over a high tree or 

 across a river." 



Such a dainty dress as that worn by 

 most of the hummingbirds deserves 

 constant attention. Appreciating this 

 these little lovers of sunshine are very 

 fond of preening their beautiful feathers. 

 While thus engaged they usually perch 

 on a bare or dead twig in an exposed po- 

 sition. Truly fortunate is he who is af- 

 forded the opportunity of watching a 

 hummingbird at this time. In this po- 

 sition various and graceful attitudes are 

 assumed and the colors of the plumage 

 are most beautifully exhibited. Mr. Au- 

 dubon tells us that when perching the 

 hummingbirds "move sidewise in pret- 

 tily measured steps, frequently opening 

 and closing their wings, pluming, strok- 

 ing and arranging the whole of their ap- 

 parel with neatness and activity." 



Hummingbirds are very aggressive 

 and show no fear, especially when de- 

 fending their nests. They will furiously 

 attack any bird or other animal that ex- 

 cites their enmity. They have been known 

 to follow and annoy hawks and other 

 birds much larger than themselves. 



Mr. Ridgeway says : "In their disposi- 

 tion hummingbirds are not only very 

 tame but highly curious or inquisitive, 

 and exhibit a special propensity to closely 

 inspect a human intruder to their do- 

 main." Tbis characteristic may be fre- 

 quently noticed in the actions of our 

 common ruby -throat. In spite of the fact 

 that the hummingbirds are easily tamed 

 and may even be induced to take food 

 from the hand or from a flower so held as 

 to attract their attention, they do not 

 survive confinement for any length of 

 time. 



Although the nectar of flowers forms a 

 large part of their food, it has been shown 

 that insects also form no inconsiderable 

 portion. 



The high degree of intelligence pos- 

 sessed by the hummingbirds is shown 

 in the construction of their nests. Some 

 of the species make the nests "of such 

 form or material as will serve to imitate 

 natural excrescences of a branch, such as 

 a knot or a pine cone." Other species 

 make a hammock-like nest that they sus- 



pend from cliffs by attaching spiders' 

 webs. Mr. Thomas M. Brewer writes : 

 "Indeed, it is probable that there is no 

 other family whose architectural achieve- 

 ments are more varied than those of the 

 hummingbirds. These variations in- 

 clude not only the material of which the 

 nests are made and the positions in which 

 _ney are placed ; but also the general style 

 of their construction, exhibiting constant 

 differences, in the several species, in the 

 ingenuity and beauty displayed in each 

 design." Even individual species will 

 change the usual plan of their nests in 

 order to adapt them to the requirements 

 of their environment. In favorable locali- 

 ties a new nest will be built each season 

 on top of the old one of the year before. 

 "The hermit hummingbirds fasten their 

 elongated nests to one side of the extrem- 

 ity of long-pointed leaves for protection, 

 it is supposed, against monkeys and 

 other predaceous animals." 



The eggs of the hummingbirds, in- 

 variably two in number, are white and 

 free from spots. Though very small 

 they are large when compared with the 

 size of the bird that laid them. It is 

 claimed by most authorities that under 

 favorable conditions two broods are 

 raised each season. 



The Anna's Hummingbird of our il- 

 lustration is one cf the most striking of 

 those best known. It is perhaps the 

 most beautiful of the species that fre- 

 quent the United States. It is a native 

 of California and in its migrations passes 

 southward through Arizona to the table- 

 lands of Mexico. It is also found in 

 Lower California. 



The head and ruff of the male have 

 a lustrous metallic purplish red color. 

 The female is bronze green above, 

 though the top of the head is sometimes 

 brownish, showing but little if any me- 

 tallic luster. Both sexes vary somewhat 

 in color. This is especially true of the 

 males, some individuals having more 

 purplish red on the crown and threat 

 than others. 



This species inhabits a metal produc- 

 ing region and it is an interesting fact, as 

 cited by Mr. Gould in his "Monograph of 

 the Hummingbirds," that "those dis- 

 tricts or countries having a metalliferous 

 character are tenanted by species of 



53 



