THE HUMMING BIRD. 



[ January i, 1891 



a few words to the general public, and especially 

 to the fair sex of both worlds, to explain that it will 

 make very little difference to the wingy tribe, if 

 Ladies condemn themselves in not wearing as adorns 

 to their perfections the most brilliant jewels of 

 Creation, such as Humming Birds, blue Creepers, 

 bright Tanagers, wonderful Trogons, and Birds of 

 Paradise, etc., etc., which enhances so harmoniously 

 with their charms. I am a Naturalist of forty years' 

 standing, and have travelled all over America from 

 Cape Horn to California. I have explored thoroughly 

 the United States, Mexico, Central America, part of 

 South America, and what I can warrant is this. In 

 the southern parts of the United States, Mexico, 

 Central America, and in Nicaragua, I have seen 

 thousands and thousands of specimens of various 

 species of Herons, Spoonbills, Ducks, Geese, 

 Tanagers, Sparrows, Swallows, Humming Birds, etc. 



In San Andres Tuxtla (Mexico) I have been the 

 witness of the arrival of the swallows {Hirundo bicolor 

 Vieih). They invaded a field of sugar-cane belonging 

 to Don Francisco Carrère, a friend of mine, where I 

 was, staying at the time. Half an hour before sunset 

 you could see them arrive from all parts of the 

 horizon, meeting in one compact assemblage. When 

 all of them had met at an altitude of about 1,500 feet, 

 they formed a black cloud occupying half of the sky 

 above our heads. A column exactly similar to a 

 waterspout, of several feet's thickness, was seen coming 

 down from the sky to the ground, dispersing in all 

 directions over the fields. This lasted about a 

 quarter of an hour, until they all had taken refuge 

 for the night in the fields of sugar-cane. Well, I do 

 not think I exaggerate when I state that they were at 

 least several hundred thousands occupying nearly half 

 a square mile. When night came, I went with a 

 boy to see if I could get some specimens. We 

 could not see, but we just gave a few knocks with our 

 sticks on the canes, and the result was about fifty 

 victims, which I took home and carefully skinned the 

 next day. These are in the principal Museums of 

 Europe at the present time. They were very fat and 

 a splendid eating. All the men on the plantation 

 feasted on them during their stay, which lasted 

 about one month. In the morning they used to 

 move in the same way as in the evening, but the 

 reverse, forming first a thick column from the field 

 to a height of about 1,500 feet, until they had all 

 assembled. Then they separated in all directions 

 in small bands, and were no more seen until the 

 evening. 



At the end of the month the plantations of sugar 

 canes were nearly ruined. Another time when in 

 Playa Vicente (Mexico) I saw another flock of birds 

 passing over my head. They were Sparrow Hawks 

 ( Cerchneis sparveria). They did not stop in the 

 locality ; but their passage nearly lasted half an hour. 

 How many thousands they were ! Impossible to tell. 



When residing in la Parada, State of Oaxaca 

 (Mexico), I saw again immense numbers of Humming 

 Birds (about ten distinct species), Arriana Riefferi 

 Bourc ; Heliopedica melanotis Sw ; Petasophora 

 thalassina Sw ; Eugenes fulgens Sw ; Calothorax 

 cyanopogon Sw ; Trochilus cohibris L ; Selasphorus 

 platycercus Sw, etc., etc. 



They remained about two months, from October to 

 the end of November. At that time flowers were to 

 be seen in plenty everywhere ; especially some myrtle 

 trees, thistles, etc., etc. The boys had a net in two 

 pieces, one and a half yard in circumference each, 

 to which was attached a string about 20 yards 

 long. 



They opened one side of the net, the other part 

 remaining on the ground or in the bush. Between 

 the two parts they put flowers of the same kinds as 

 usually visited by the birds. These were so abundant 

 that scarcely five minutes passed without a humming 

 bird coming inside the net to suck the flowers. Then 

 the boy had only to pull the string which he kept in 

 one hand, the two sides of the net joined together, 

 and the bird was a prisoner. 



They usually caught from 30 to 40 in the day, which 

 they sold at a cuartillo (ijd. dozen) for eating. 

 Being very fat, roasted, it is a repast which Lucullus 

 himself would have enjoyed. 



I could mention many other cases of the immense 

 quantity of birds to be seen in America or elsewhere ; 

 but I think the above-mentioned cases are sufficient. 

 To resume then. What are about one million or two 

 millions of birds sent annually to Europe ; chiefly 

 from Brazil, Trinidad, Colombia, South America 

 and from India, against such number of birds as 

 Nature can boast of. 



Even supposing that the fashion would continue 

 for ever, it is my opinion that certain species of Birds 

 are so common that it would take hundreds of years 

 before exhausting them. 



If Ladies don't wear feathers as ornaments from 

 sympathy to the poor birds, to be consequent with 

 themselves, they must not eat them neither, and they 

 must not wear any furs for the same reason. Are they 

 prepared to that? But as I said before, Nature is so 

 prolific and such a good Nurse that Ladies can make 

 their mind easy on that point, and continue to use 

 the beautiful birds which harmonize so well with 

 beauty, and refuse to wear such poor imitations of 

 the real thing, as what is to be seen everywhere 

 in London this year. 



Besides, it is very probable that in refusing to wear 

 them as ornaments, the result desired will not be 

 obtained, and they would serve of pasture to the 

 numerous birds of prey, and other animals which 

 feast on them all the year round. 



As far as my experience goes, the yearly Exportation 

 of Bird Skins is as follows : — 



Colombia ... 



• • • 



• * • 





200,000 



Brazil and Trinidad 







300,000 



Mexico and 



Central 



America 



I 



100,000 



and South America 



... 



Japan 





... 





100,000 



India 



• • • 



... 





200,000 



Africa 



• • * 







100,000 



Europe 



... 



. . . 





500,000 



Total ... 1,500,000 



What is that ! Nothing when you think of the 

 100,000,000 which are killed annually for eating pur- 

 poses. However, I should suggest to Governments to 



