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THE RUBY-THROATED HUMMING-BIRD. 



■+Trochilus Colubris, Linn. 

 PLATE CCLIII.— Males, Female, and Young. 



Where is the person who, on seeing this lovely little creature moving on 

 humming winglets through the air, suspended as if by magic in it, flitting 

 from one flower to another, with motions as graceful as they are light 

 and airy, pursuing its course over our extensive continent, and yielding new 

 delights wherever it is seen; — where is the person, I ask of you, kind 

 reader, who, on observing this glittering fragment of the rainbow, would not 

 pause, admire, and instantly turn his mind with reverence toward the 

 Almighty Creator, the wonders of whose hand we at every step discover, 

 and of whose sublime conceptions we everywhere observe the manifestations 

 in his admirable system of creation? — There breathes not such a person; so 

 kindly have we all been blessed with that intuitive and noble feeling — 

 admiration! 



No sooner has the returning sun again introduced the vernal season, and 

 caused millions of plants to expand their leaves and blossoms to his genial 

 beams, than the little Humming-bird is seen advancing on fairy wings, 

 carefully visiting every opening flower-cup, and, like a curious florist, 

 removing from each the injurious insects that otherwise would ere long 

 cause their beauteous petals to droop and decay. Poised in the air, it is 

 observed peeping cautiously, and with sparkling eye, into their innermost 

 recesses, whilst the etherial motions of its pinions, so rapid and so light, 

 appear to fan and cool the flower, without injuring its fragile texture, and 

 produce a delightful murmuring sound, well adapted for lulling the insects to 

 repose. Then is the moment for the Humming-bird to secure them. Its 

 long delicate bill enters the cup of the flower, and the protruded double- 

 tubed tongue, delicately sensible, and imbued with a glutinous saliva, touches 

 each insect in succession, and draws it from its lurking place, to be instantly 

 swallowed. All this is done in a moment, and the bird, as it leaves the 

 flower, sips so small a portion of its liquid honey, that the theft, we may 

 suppose, is looked upon with a grateful feeling by the flower, which is thus 

 kindly relieved from the attacks of her destroyers. 



The prairies, the fields, the orchards and gardens, nay, the deepest shades 

 of the forests, are all visited in their turn, and everywhere the little bird 



