THE RUBY-THROATED HUMMING BIRD. 91 
forth and dispatched in a moment, when the 
bird departs, after sipping a little of the liquid 
honey gratefully given by the flower to its 
champion. This beautiful creature seems to pos- 
sess preat activity of flight. ‘‘ The whole struc- 
ture of these birds is adapted for flight; their 
feet are very small, their tail is large, their wings 
are very long and narrow.”* Sometimes, the 
humming of its wings telling its approach, it is 
seen within a few feet, when one is suddenly 
astonished at the rapidity with which it soars, 
and is out of sight and hearing in a moment. 
Its flight is performed in long undulations. It 
does not alight on the ground, but settles on 
twigs and branches, where it moves sideways in 
prettily measured steps, often opening and shut- 
ting its wings in “silent ecstasy.” After pluming 
and shaking, as if arranging its splendid apparel, 
it is fond of spreading one wing at a time, and 
passing each of the feathers through its bill, the 
wing being thus rendered extremely transparent, 
and glittering in the light. Not unfrequently 
it is chased by a large kind of humble bee, of 
which it haughtily disdains to take notice, as in 
a minute its rapid journeying leaves the drone 
far behind. Its nest is of a peculiarly delicate 
nature, the outer parts being of a light gray 
* White's Popular History of Birds, p 66. 
