INTRODUCTION. 



xxiii 



out to see who has the audacity to st6al the meat from his 

 shambles. Off' darts the bird to another part of the web, threading 

 his way swiftly, yet carefully, amid the gloomy cells and labyrinth*, 

 where it is likely the least deviation would entangle his burnished 

 wings in the sticky net- work, and involve him in ruin; and what 

 a triumph this would be to the spider, which sometimes rises 

 up in defence of his citadel, when off the besieger shoots, so 

 swiftly that he can only be traced by the track of coloured 

 light which he leaves behind him. After resting a while on the 

 branches of the citron, or flowering myrtle, he resumes the 

 attack, and continues it at intervals until he is tired or satis- 

 fied. He then flies off to his little wife on the nest, and no 

 doubt tells her what a fine bit of sport he has had in the spider's 

 preserves, presenting her perhaps with some of the game, and 

 promising to get her some more to-morrow. We may fancy how 

 eagerly she listens, and how earnestly she begs of him not to be 

 too venturesome. 



We will now quote an extract from Audubon's "Ornithological 

 Biography," in which he gives a most delightful picture of bird- 

 life in America: — "I wish it were in my power at this moment 

 to impart to you the pleasure which I have felt in watching the 

 movements, and viewing the manifestations of feelings displayed 

 by a single pair of these most favourite little creatures, when 

 engaged in the demonstration of their love towards each other; 

 how the male swells his plumage and throat, and dancing on the 

 wing, whirls around the delicate female; how quickly he dives 

 towards a flower, and returns with a loaded bill, which he offers 

 to her; how full of ecstacy he seems to be when his caresses are 

 kindly received; how his little wings fan her, as they fan the 

 flowers, and he transfers to her bill the insects and the honey 

 which he has procured with a view to please her; how these 

 attentions are received with apparent satisfaction; how soon after 

 the blissful compact is sealed; how then the courage and care of 

 the male are redoubled; how he even dares to give chase to the 

 tyrant Flycatcher; harries the Blue-bird and the Martin to their 

 boxes; and how, on sounding pinions, he joyously returns to the 

 side of his lovely mate. All these proofs of the sincerity, fidelity, 

 and courage, with which the male assures his mate of the care 

 he will take of her while sitting on her nest, may be seen, and 

 have been seen, but cannot be pourtrayed or described. 



Could you cast a momentary glance at the nest of the Hum- 

 ming Bird, and see, as I have seen, the newly-hatched pair of 

 young, little larger than humble-bees, naked, blind, and so feeble 

 as scarcely to be able to raise their little bills to receive food 

 from their parents; and could you see those parents, full of anxiety 



