The Hummingbird at Home 1 1 



trees and over stumps, the mother with tail spread, all the 

 while squealing like mad. It looked like the chase of two 

 meteors that were likely to disappear in a shower of 

 sparks had they struck anything. If it was the father, he 

 didn't get a squint at the bantlings. If it was a bachelor 

 awooing, he got a hot reception. 



I can't believe the male rufous is an intentional shirk 

 and deserter. I think that somewhere back through the 

 generations of hummingbird experience, it was found that 

 such bright colors and such devotion about the home were 

 clews unmistakable for enemies. It is, therefore, the law 

 of self-protection that he keep away entirely during the 

 period of incubation and the rearing of the young. 



THE HUMMINGBIRD FAMILY 



This is a family of birds easily recognized because they are the 

 smallest in size. They have tiny feet and long slender bills to suck the 

 nectar from the flowers. They flit through the air with great rapidity, 

 their buzzing wings giving the bird the appearance of an insect. 



Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Trochilus colubris): Male, above, 

 green; below, grayish- white; wings and tail, ruddy black; shining ruby- 

 red patch on throat. Female, colors less showy and throat-patch lack- 

 ing. Summer resident along the Atlantic Coast, arriving the first of 

 May and remaining till October. Nest, a tiny cup saddled on a limb. 

 Eggs, two in number, pure white and about the size of soup beans. 



Rufous Hummingbird {Selasphorus rufus): Male, general color 

 above and below, bright reddish-brown, with more or less green on top 

 of head and sometimes extending on back; throat, glancing coppery red, 

 below fading into white. Female, similar to male but more brownish in 

 color; throat with just a tinge of red. Summer resident of the north 

 Pacific Coast, arriving in April. Nest and habits, similar to those of 

 Ruby-throat. 



Anna Hummingbird {Calypte anna); Top of head with metallic. 



