January i, 1891] 



THE HUMMING BIRD. 



%\t IJummhtg ^irïr* 



PREFACE. 



The " HUMMING BIRD " will be a monthly Re- 

 cord of everything new in the Scientific, Artistic, and 

 Industrial World, passing from one subject to another, 

 as its Synonym does when he is on the wing, flying 

 from one plant to another in search of food. 



At times, it will fly at great distances to see what 

 is going on there and will return as quickly to its 

 native place, as often as necessary. 



It will give short notices of all modern travellers, 

 of their new discoveries, new applications of Science 

 in the Industry, and new artistic Creations, keeping 

 the readers well informed of all what happens of in- 

 terest in this immense World ; so as to render this 

 Journal attractive not only to Scientists but also to 

 the General Public. 



It will contain a Series of Articles on Natural 

 History, Description of new Species, Notes on the 

 Habits of Animals, Biographies of Men well known in 

 Science, Art, and Industry; Reports on Visits to 

 Museums and Zoological Gardens ; Reports of public 

 Sales of Scientific Objects, Works of Art and Curios 

 from all countries, and lastly Reports of scientific, 

 artistic, and industrial Publications of special interest. 

 It is open to all, and original Notices on Science, 

 Art, and Industry, of interest to the readers of the 

 Journal, will be received with pleasure and inserted in 

 due time. 



Every one is free to reproduce or to translate cor- 

 rectly and literally all the notices signed by the 

 Editor, with the only condition that the name of the 

 author shall be given and several copies forwarded to 

 the Office of the Journal. 



Authors wishing to have their works reported in the 

 Journal must send two copies. 



All communications respecting the Journal should 

 be addressed to the Editor : 



225 High Holborn, 



London, W.C., 



England. 



What is to be seen everywhere in London. 



A few days ago I went for a walk from Holborn 

 Viaduct to Regent Street and back by the Strand, 

 and was quite surprised to see in the windows of the 

 best shops of the London Boulevards some strings 

 of six small birds of all colours, some white, some 

 red, some blue, some golden, in fact, all the colours 

 of the rainbow, and which seemed to belong to 

 species quite unknown to me, a naturalist, to whom 

 Ornithology is the favourite study. 



I looked hard at them, and you can imagine my 

 surprise when I saw that they were made-up birds 

 from all kinds of feathers, badly made, some badly 

 dyed, and with the most unnatural and grotesque 

 appearances. I said to myself, surely they must be 

 toys for children, and I will buy one dozen or two to 

 give away. 



I entered one of these fashionable shops, and asked 

 the price per dozen of the baby toys, calling them 

 that name. As soon as the words escaped my lips, I 

 saw the moment when my life was in danger. " Baby 

 toys ! ! What do you mean, sir ! These are the 

 latest fashion from Paris, and they are worth from six 

 to twenty shillings per dozen ! " 



" I don't believe it," I said. " It is quite impossible 

 that in cities like London or Paris exist such persons 

 as would make use of such poor things as orna- 

 ments for their hats. When I was a boy I saw in 

 Paris many of these toys, called then Cocottes, and 

 which were usually sold at a halfpenny a piece. They 

 had an elastic string tied to the centre of the body, 

 and were made to go up and down by pulling the 

 string." I could say no more, being forcibly ejected 

 from the shop. 



Really, I had a very bad quarter of an hour after 

 this, coming back to my place quite dejected. 



But being rather tenacious in my opinions, I said 

 I must clear that up. So I went to see some friends 

 of mine, great Authorities in science, and great 

 Industrials, to whom I asked if they had seen these 

 multicolor birds, and what they thought of them. 

 Their reply was : " No, we have not seen them, and 

 we don't believe that they exist." So I took them 

 round to have a good view of these novelties. All of 

 them were scandalized to see the objects of their 

 favourite study so absurdly ridiculized. At last one of 

 them said, " Oh ! I have it ! I know now why these 

 made-up birds have made their appearance this season 

 in London." 



It appears that a severe battle has been fought 

 lately against the wearing of beautiful humming birds, 

 and bright birds in general, from sympathy to the 

 poor Innocents. He was right ! ! This was the true 

 explanation of the appearance of these fancy birds. 

 But, good gracious ! Why have they made such 

 poor representatives of Nature ? With a little care 

 and good-will they could have made something worth 

 having. Then I would have nothing to say ; but 

 having had such a shock when I was ejected from 

 the above-named shop, where I asked the price 

 of these toys, only fit for children, I must say 



