258 VEETEBKATEB. 



ming or buzzing sound is produced, from which peculiarity tha 

 name of Humming Bird has been given them in almost every 

 language. 



The smallest Humming Bird is about the size of a hazel-nut. 

 The feathers on its wings and tail are black; but those on its 

 body, and under its wings, are of a greenish brown, with a fin 3 

 red cast, or gloss, which no silk or velvet can imitate. It has a 



small crest on its head, green at the 

 bottom, and, as it were, gilded at 

 the top ; and which sparkles in the 

 sun like a little star in the middle 

 of its forehead. The bill is black, 

 straight, slender, and of the length 

 of a small pin. The larger Hum- 



nuraming Bird. ^:^^^ gj^.^ j^ ^^^^^j^ j^^j^ ^ ^^^ ^ 



the common wren, and without a crest on its head ; but, to make 

 amends, it is covered, from the throat half way down the belly, 

 with changeable crimson-colored feathers, that, in different lights 

 change to a variety of beautiful colors, much like an opal. The 

 heads of both are small, with very little round eyes as black as jet. 

 Mr. Wilson says of it : " This little bird is extremely sus- 

 ceptible of cold, and if long deprived of the animating influence 

 of the sunbeams, droops, and soon dies. A very beautiful male 

 was brought me this season, which I put into a wire cage, and 

 placed in a retired shaded part of the room. After fluttering 

 about for some time, the weather being uncommonly cool, it clung 

 by the wires, and hung in a seemingly torpid state for a whole 

 forenoon. No motion whatever of the lungs could be perceived 

 on the closest inspection,; though at other times this is remark- 

 ably observable ; the eyes were shut, and when touched by the 

 finger it gave no signs of life or motion. I carried it out to the 

 open air, and placed it directly in the rays of the sun in a sheltered 

 situation. 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 I restored it to liberty ; and it flew off to 



