KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



133 



BAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!" 

 ET-CETEKA, 



BY A HUMMING BIRD. 



In a most curious book just published — the 

 authorship of which is owned to by Lady 

 Emmeline Stuart Wortley, we find a smart 

 anecdote of that beautiful little creature, the 

 humming-bird. The book we allude to, re- 

 joices in the quaint title of "Et-cetera." It 

 is a rambling, gossiping book — perfectly sui 

 generis ; and replete with oddities that are 

 as perfectly allowable in a " character " like 

 Lady Emmeline. It is moreover a " natural " 

 performance ; and that is " something," now- 

 a-days : — 



The humming-birds in Jamaica are lovely little 

 creatures, and most wonderfully tame and fearless 

 of the approach of man. One of these charming 

 feathered jewels had built its delicate nest close 

 to one of the walks of the garden belonging to 

 the house where we were staying. The branch, 

 indeed, of the beautiful little shrub in which this 

 fairy nest was suspended, almost intruded into the 

 walk ; and every time we sauntered by there was 

 much danger of sweeping against this projecting 

 branch with its precious charge, and doing it some 

 injury, as very little would have demolished the 

 exquisite fabric. In process of time, two lovely 

 little pearl-like eggs had appeared ; and while we 

 were there, we had the great pleasure of seeing 

 the minute living gems themselves appear, looking 

 like two very small bees. 



The mother -bird allowed us to look closely at 

 her in the nest, and to inspect her little nurse- 

 lings, when she was flying about near ; without 

 appearing in the least degpee disconcerted or 

 alarmed. I never saw so tame or so bold a little 

 pet. But she did not allow the same liberties to 

 be taken by everybody, unchecked. One day, as 



Sir C was walking in the pretty path beside 



which the fragile nest was delicately suspended 

 amid sheltering leaves, he paused in order to look 

 at its Lilliputian inhabitants. While thus en- 

 gaged, he felt suddenly a sharp light rapping on 

 the crown of his hat, which considerably surprised 

 him. He looked round to ascertain from whence 

 this singular and unexpected attack proceeded ; 

 but nothing was to be seen. Almost thinking he 

 must have been mistaken, he continued his sur- 

 vey ; when a much sharper and louder rat-tat-tat- 

 tat-tat seemed to demand his immediate attention, 

 and a little to jeopardise the perfect integrity and 

 preservation of the fabric in question. 



Again he looked round, far from pleased at such 

 extraordinary impertinence ; when what should he 

 see but the beautiful delicate humming-bird, with 

 ruffled feathers and fiery eyes, who seemed by no 

 means inclined to let him off without a further 

 infliction of sharp taps and admonitory raps from 

 her fairy beak ! She looked like a little fury in 

 miniature — a winged Xantippe. These pointed 

 attentions apprised him that his company was not 

 desired or acceptable ; and much amused at the 

 excessive boldness of the dauntless little owner of 

 the exquisite nest he had been contemplating, Sir 

 C moved off, anxious not to disturb or irri- 



tate further this valiant minute mother, who had 

 displayed such intrepidity and cool determination. 



As to V and me, the darling little pet did 



not mind us in the least ; she allowed us to watch 

 her to our hearts' content during the uninterrup- 

 ted progress of all her little household and domes- 

 tic arrangements, and rather appeared to like our 

 society than not, and to have the air of saying, 

 ' Do you think I manage it well, eh ?' 



Her ladyship subsequently met with more 

 of these fairy birds. She says : — 



Some time afterwards, at Kingston, at the 

 Date-tree Hotel, we made the acquaintance of 

 another of this charming tribe, which almost re- 

 gularly every morning used to come and breakfast 

 with us ! Thus it was : — of course our large win- 

 dows were opened as far as they would go ; a 

 beautiful tree, covered with rich brilliant blossoms, 

 stood close to the house (near the graceful date- 

 tree that gives its name to that pleasant hotel) ; 

 and the lovely little bird used to come and suck 

 the honey-dew out of those bright flowers that 

 made that tree so splendid — generally, as if so- 

 cially inclined, and disliking a solitary breakfast, 

 at the identical hour that we were seated at our 

 breakfast table. The fresh breezes would gently 

 blow the beautiful branch, blossoms, buds, birds, 

 leaves, and all, into the room ; but undismayed, the 

 brilliant stranger would continue at his repast, 

 preventing us from continuing ours inconsequence 

 of the interest and admiration he excited in us ; 

 till at last the novelty wore off, and we expected to 

 meet our little friend every morning at breakfast 

 as a matter of course. Still we were never in- 

 sensible to the charm of his elfin society, and it 

 was quite a mortification if the wee guest neglec- 

 ted to be punctual to his self-imposed appoint- 

 ment. 



Ornithologically speaking, I believe, these pre- 

 cious bee-birds, these diminutive fays, these 

 diamond dew-drops on wings, these sylphs, these 

 visions, these rainbow-atoms, these flying flowers, 

 these buds of birds — are as bold as the eagle, and 

 fiery as the falcon ; in fact, are perfect little 

 didbles I just what our small fury who assaulted 

 the governor's hat showed herself to be. She 

 seemed soft as velvet or a puff of down, light as 

 foam, bright as a spark of the sun, mild as new 

 milk — a breath of spring or a honey-drop ; but it 

 was, in truth, very valiant velvet, very doughty 

 down (quite knock-you-down, indeed !) milk 

 soured by a dash of thunder, or, rather, milk- 

 punch of the strongest, honey of the hottest, foam 

 of the fiercest, the most peppery of puffs, — sun- 

 shine of the most fiery description, that verily 

 proved a pocket coup-de-soleil ; 'twas a breath of 

 infant Boreas, and a spark of — gunpowder. This 

 fairy Mab is, in fact, the very Bellona of birds. 



Lady Emmeline, though an earl's daughter, 

 appears to be quite a hoyden in her feelings, 

 — and w r hy not ? She would make a " love 

 of a woman " at a gipsy party ; and be in- 

 valuable at a " pic-nic." At a round game, 

 or " hunt the slipper," too, — she would 

 be the funniest of the funny ; and then, if 

 she were to record the fun with her own 

 graphic pen, in her own racy style, in the 



