RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD 



Male — Bright green above; wings and tail brownish- 

 violet; throat and breast ruby colored; belly light gray; bill 

 long and sharp. Female lacks the brig-ht feathers on the 

 throat which is dark gray instead. Length, three and one- 

 fourth inches. 



Nest, in an orchard or grove, located on a horizontal 

 branch, generally about twenty feet up; built of plant down 

 and covered with lichens; eggs, two, white and tiny, being 

 about the size of peas. 



The Hummingbirds live only in the Western Continent 

 where more than one hundred species are found. Their home 

 is in the torrid zone among the Mountain regions of Columbia 

 and Ecuador. A few species migrate to our country during 

 the summer season, but the Ruby-throat is the only kind that 

 ever comes further north than Louisiana. It arrives in the 

 north in May and returns south in September. 



This bird takes its name from the humming sound made 

 by the rapid vibration of its wings as it hangs almost motion- 

 less before a flower from which it is seeking insects or sipping 

 honey. The little sprite, the smallest bird we have, gets its 

 food among the flowers, and as it has little fear of man, it lives 

 in city and country wherever flowers most abound. Any 

 bright flower will attract it, but tubular blossoms are its special 

 delight. These often attract insects as will, thus enabling the 

 bird to gain both kinds of food at the same time. 



The Hummingbird has no song. Its grace and beauty 

 are sufficient to make it a welcome visitor everywhere. Unan- 

 nounced save by the whir of its wings, it enters the garden like 



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