58 



MY HUMMING- BIRDS. 



more, and sat perched with the coolest self-composure on my 

 finger, and plumed itself quite as artistically as if on its favourite 

 spray. I was enchanted with the bold, innocent confidence with 

 which it turned up its keen black eye to survey us, as much 

 as to say, "Well, good folk— who are you?" 



Thus, in less than an hour, this apparently tameless rider of 

 the winds, was perched, pleasantly chirping upon my finger, and 

 received its food with edifying eagerness from my sister's hand. 

 It seemed completely domesticated from the moment that a taste 

 of its natural food reassured it, and left no room to doubt our being 

 friends. 



By the next day, it would come from any part of either room 



alight upon the side of a white china cup, containing the mix- 

 ture, and drink eagerly with its long bill thrust in to the very 

 base, after the manner of the doves. It would alight on our 

 fingers, and seem to talk with us, endearingly, in its "soft chirps. 

 Indeed, I never saw any creature so thoroughly tamed in so 

 short a time before. This state of things continued some three 

 weeks, when I observed it beginning to lose its vivacity. I re- 

 sorted to every expedient I could think of; offered it small insects, 

 etc., but with no avail; it w-ould not touch them. 



_ We at length came to the melancholy conclusion that we must 

 either resign ourselves to see it die, or let it go. This last alter- 

 native cost my_ sister some bitter tears. We had made a delicate 

 little cage for it, and had accustomed it to roosting and feeding 

 in it while loose in the rooms, and I consoled her with the hope 

 that perhaps it might return to the cage as usual, even when 

 hung in the garden. The experiment was tried. The cage was 

 hung in a lilac bush, and the moment the door was opened, the 

 little fellow darted away out of sight. My heart sank within 

 me, for I could not but fear that it was gone for ever, and 

 my poor sister sobbed aloud. I comforted her as best I might, 

 and though without any hope myself, endeavoured to fill her 

 with it, and divert her grief by occupation. So we prepared a 

 nice new cup of oior nectar — hung the cage with flowers — left 

 the door wide open, and the white cup invitingly conspicuous — 

 then resting from our labours, withdrew a short distance to the 

 foot of a tree, to watch the result. We waited for a whole hour 

 with straining eyes, and becoming completely discouraged, had 

 arisen from the grass, and were turning to go, when my sister 

 uttered a low exclamation — 

 "Whist! look brother!" 



The little fellow was darting to and fro in front of his cage, 

 as if confused for a moment by the flower-drapery; but the white 

 cup seemed to overcome his doubts very quickly, and with flut- 



