HUMMING-BIRDS. 51 
insects; have seen the insect swarms, and so long 
as there remain any in sight—and even long’ after 
they have disappeared from my view—the bird darts 
hither and thither, snapping them up with great rapid- 
ity. At such times he does not content himself with 
a sip here and there and then alight upon some twig 
or liane, as when gathering honey, but evidently con- 
siders the fleeting nature of the prey he is pursuing, 
and shoots from one hunting-ground to another till he 
has obtained his fill. 
Beneath me, lining the walls of a deep gorge in 
whose depths a little rivulet tinkled, was a broad area 
of the plant called by the natives dalzszer, or wild 
plantain. The leaves of this plant are about six feet 
in length, broad and green, like the leaves of a 
banana. From the bases of these leaves shoot up 
long spikes of crimson and yellow cups, arranged 
like the flowers of the gladiolus. They are boat- 
shaped and about three inches in length, and their 
bright colors lighted up this shady spot like sunshine. 
Above their broad silken leaves Garnet-throat hov- 
ered a moment to scan the interior of these flowers, 
perchance he might see an insect for him there. A 
sudden desire came over me to possess the bird, and 
quick as the thought was formed my gun was at my 
shoulder, and its sharp report echoed through the 
silent woods. High and low I searched, but could 
not find him, until, looking down upon the spot for 
a final glance, I caught sight of his gleaming throat 
which a stray sunbeam had lighted on. He lay en- | 
shrined in one of those golden caskets, leg uplifted and 
wings loose spread, eclipsing even those bright tints of 
orange and crimson in the vivid glow of his gorget. 
