THE HUMMING-BIRD. 317 



Of nectar they sipp'd from the sweet smelling flower ; 

 Or, seizing, abriclg'd the small insect's brief hour, 

 There was one of large size, of rich plumage, Red 



Throat, 

 Distinguished by chirping a grass-hopper note ; 



being adorned with innumerable shades of colour, in which the 

 emerald, the ruby, and the topaz are gracefully intermixed. 

 Their nest is curiously constructed, and attached sometimes to 

 two leaves, or to a single twig of the citron or orange j it is pe- 

 culiarly neat and small ; eggs two, white, about the size of a 

 pea; time of incubation twelve days. 



It has been said that these birds cannot be tamed j this is, 

 however, in regard to some of them at any rate, a mistake. 

 Wilson mentions having kept one of the Red-throated Humming- 

 birds in confinement for three months. It is said, nevertheless, 

 that they are neither shy nor suspicious ; that they are caught 

 by the Indians on limed twigs, and that, when taken, they in- 

 stantly expire, and are afterwards worn as ear-rings by the 

 Indian ladies. That some of them should expire when caught 

 on limed twigs is not to be wondered at when the delicacy of 

 these birds is considered ; but that they instantly expire if 

 taken with suitable precaution, is quite incredible. Some 

 have been kept alive by syrups for a few weeks j and, probably, 

 were we better acquainted with their proper food, their pre- 

 servation alive would be more certain and continued. That 

 they sometimes feed on insects is confirmed by Waterton, and 

 it is said that small insects have been found in them on dis- 

 section. The following are all we can name : 



The Colubris, or Red-throated Humming-bird, is three 

 inches and half long ; back, upper part of the neck, sides, under 

 the wings, tail coverts, and two middle feathers of the tail, a 

 rich golden green ; tail and wings a deep brownish purple. 

 Nest one inch in diameter and the same in depth. Eggs two, 

 white. From the drawing given of it in Wilson's American 



