188 LECTURE V, 



the same flower : they will tilt against each other 

 with such fury as if they meant to transfix their 

 antagonists with their long bills. During the fight 

 they often pursue the conquered into the apart- 

 ments of houses which happen to have the windows 

 open, and, taking a few turns round the room, 

 like the flies in Europe, again make their escape 

 into the open air. They are almost fearless of 

 mankind, and, in feeding, will suffer people to 

 approach within two yards of them, but if ap- 

 proached more nearly, fly off with the rapidity 

 of lightening." An author of high credit, Fer- 

 nandez Oviedo, in his History of the Indies^ speaks 

 from his own experience of the wonderful cou- 

 rage and spirited instinct of this minute bird in 

 defence of its young. " When they see a man 

 (says he) climbing a tree where they have their 

 nest, they will fly at his face, and strike him in 

 the eyes, coming, going, and returning, with such 

 swiftness, that no man would lightly believe it 

 that had not seen it." The nest is of an elegance 

 suited to the architect, being composed of small 

 fragments of mosses and lichens on the outside, 

 and lined within with the down of the leaves of 

 plants : it is somewhat like the nest of a Chaffinch 



