38 



KTTBY-THBOATED. 



arrives in Pennsylvania on the 25th. of April, and begins to 

 build its nest about the 10th. of May." From this we learn 

 that the bird is migratory, as many of the birds in this 

 country are; that is, it does not remain all the year through 

 in one place, but leaves, as the severe weather comes on, for 

 some warmer climate, where food may be more abundantly 

 found. Hundreds of miles do these little travellers fly; often 

 through tempestuous skies, and over stormy seas; and it is 

 wonderful to remark how directly they make their way to the 

 desired spot. They have no mariner's compass, nor any other 

 means of guidance; no reason to tell them that in this or 

 that quarter of the heavens their homes and safety lies; but 

 God teaches them when to fly, and whither to direct their flight; 

 He has given to them a power — a kind of sense, which we 

 call instinct, from the Latin instinetus — inwardly moved — and 

 they know that they are to do this or that, to go in one or 

 another direction, without at all understanding why, as a rea- 

 sonable being like man does. And so, Master Ruby-throat, 

 having obeyed the command of this voice within, which said 

 "Up and away to the savannahs of the north, to the cotton- 

 fields of Georgia, and the rice-swamps of Carolina, and the 

 gardens of fruitful Pennsylvania," has migrated, that is, passed 

 from one place of residence to another — the word comes from 

 migro — to pass — and now we find him building a new house, 

 and making himself quite at home. 



This house, or nest, we are told by Mr. Wilson, "is gene- 

 rally fixed on the upper side of a horizontal branch, (that 

 is, one that projects straight out,) not among the twigs, but 

 on the body of the branch itself. Yet I have known instances 

 where it was attached by the side to an old moss-grown 

 trunk; and others where it was fastened to a strong rank 

 stalk, or weed in the garden; but these cases are rare. In 

 the woods it very often chooses a white oak sapling to build 

 on; and in the orchard, or garden, selects a pear tree for 

 that purpose. The branch is seldom anore than ten feet from 

 the ground. The nest is about an inch in diameter, (that 

 is, across,) and as much in depth. A very complete one 

 is now lying before me, and the materials of which it is 

 composed, are as follows: — The outward coat is formed of 

 small pieces of bluish grey lichen, that vegetates on old trees 



