1894
April 5
(No 2)
Trinidad, B.W.I.
Caura.
  On reaching the Pomarock Tree we found it simply
swarming with Hummers or to be more exact great numbers
of these beautiful little creatures were visiting it in rapid
succession. As a rule there were from six to eight feeding
at once with several others darting about near at hand
and quickly replacing the birds that left. Apparently the
tree would not accommodate more than the higher number
just stated. This was evidently due not so much to
any lack of food as to the fact that each bird
required a certain amount of "elbow room" which he
was at all times prepared to maintain for the tree
was the scene of an almost incessant battle which, at times,
was waged as furiously and indiscriminately as any
street fight one bird attacking another and he the
next until three of four would be hotly engaged. Not
infrequently the tree would be wholly deserted for a
minute or more all its occupants going off in rapid
succession pursuing one another beyond sight and hearing.
  [delete] When fighting [/delete] They fought like little demons, squeaking
or chirping [delete] angrily [/delete] shrilly, buzzing angrily, and often
clinching and coming to the ground together. after
such a battle they would return one by one or others
would take their places and for a while comparative
tranquility would reign as they fed busily from flower to
flower each making a low, soothing drowsy sound in place
of the angry buzz of war.
  There were frequently five or six species in the tree at once
and as all were alike apparently oblivious to my presence
or movements it would seem to have been an easy matter
to quickly select and shoot such as I wanted. This
proved, however, exceedingly difficult for against the