BO 



MY HUMMING BIEDS. 



nesters ; "but it only exasperated mine : I shook off the water and 

 vowed I'd find that nest if it took me a week; but how to 

 begin was the question. I had lost the limb, and how was I to 

 find it among a hundred others just like it. 



The knot I had seen was so exactly like other knots, upon 

 other limbs all around it, that the prospect of finding it seemed 

 a hopeless one. But "I'll try, sir!" is my favourite motto. I 

 laid myself down as nearly as possible in the position I originally 

 occupied; hut after some twenty minutes experiment, came to 

 the conclusion that my head had been too much confused by the 

 shock of my fall and ducking, for me to hope to make much 

 out of this method. Then I went under the tree, and commenc- 

 ing at the trunk with the lowest limb, which leaned over the 

 water, I followed it slowly and carefully with my eye out to 

 the extremest twig, noting carefully everything that seemed like 

 a knot. This produced no satisfactory result after half an hour's 

 trial, and with an aching neck I gave it up in despair, for I saw 

 half a dozen knots, either one of which seemed as likely to be 

 the right one as the other. I now changed my tactics again, 

 and, ascending the tree, I stopped with my feet iipon each one 

 of these limbs, and looked doivn along its length. It was a very 

 tedious proceeding, but I persevered. Knot after knot deceived 

 me, but at last, when just above the middle of the tree, I 

 caught a sharp gleam among the leaves, of gold and purple, and 

 looking down upon the last limb to which I had climbed— almost 

 lost my footing for the joy— when I saw about three feet out 

 from where I stood, the glistening back and wings of the little 

 bird just covering the top of one of those mysterious knots — that 

 was about the size of half a hen's egg. Its glancing head, long 

 bill, and keen eyes, were turned upwards and perfectly still, 

 except the latter, which surveyed me from head to foot with the 

 most dauntless expression. It seemed to have not the slightest 

 intention of moving, and I would not have disturbed it for the 

 world. It was sufficient delight to me to gaze on my long-sought 

 treasure. Its pure white breast — or throat, rather — for the breast 

 was sunk in the nest — formed such a sweet and innocent contrast 

 with the splendour of its back, head, and wings! This is the most 

 common variety with us, and is about a size larger than the Scarlet- 

 throat* I could see that this wonderful little creature had not 



» I am aware that our naturalists do not recognise the Green Humming Bird, with 

 the white breast and throat, as any other than the young or female of the Scarlet- 

 throated Hummer— the male of which variety does not attain its full plumage until 

 the second year. I, however, beg leave to suggest the existence, as a separate and dis- 

 tinct variety of the Green Humming Bird, and hope to offer .sufficient evidence of the 

 fact, before this paper is finished, to justify the hazard of such an assertion. 



