ON TREES. 



219 



REMARKS ON TREES, WITH REFERENCE TO 

 THEIR BEING PERFORATED BY THE TIT- 

 MOUSE AND THE WOODPECKER. 



The tree, that noble and gigantic son of earth, is 

 the favourite resort of most birds ; and so intimately 

 is it connected with the charming science of orni- 

 thology, that he who has neglected to pay attention 

 to it will often find himself at a loss to give correct 

 information, in his description of the habits of the 

 feathered tribes. 



The bloom, the fruit, the health and vigour of 

 a tree, are interwoven with the economy of birds. 

 Do you wish to have a view of seven or eight dif- 

 ferent species of Colibri, collected at one tree? 

 Wait^ in patience, till the month of July ; when a 

 vast profusion of red flowers on the hois immortel (a 

 tree well known to every planter in Guiana) invites 

 those lovely creatures to a choice repast. Are you 

 anxious to procure the pompadour, the purple- 

 breasted and the purple-throated cotingas ? Then, 

 mark the time when the wild guava tree ripens its 

 fruit; and on it you will find these brilliant orna- 

 ments of the forest. Is the toucan your object? 

 You have only to place yourself, before the close of 

 day, at the shaded root of some towering mora 

 whose topmast branches have been dried by age, or 

 blasted by the thunderstorm, and to this tree the 

 bird will come, and make the surrounding wilds 

 re-echo to its evening call. Would you inspect the 



