xii 



INTRODUCTION. 



perch, and not having much use for their legs, it is no wonder 

 that they are furnished with such tiny ones. The iast engraving 

 represents a skeleton of one of these birds, shewing what in- 

 significant affairs the legs are in proportion to the rest of the 

 body; the bill, it may be seen, is much larger, and the wing, 

 though deprived of its feathers, also exceeds the leg in size; the 

 sternum, or breast-bone, is deep and sharp, like that of the Swift: 

 the keel or edge projecting very far, more so perhaps than is the 

 case with any other bird of so small a size. 



The whole structure is very light, yet well-knit and firmly 

 compacted. Clothe it in the beautiful plumage, and it flashes 

 before the sight like a blaze of jewelry. Ruby and amethyst, 

 and all gorgeous rainbow tints are there, with gleams of metallic 

 lustre that dazzle one to look upon them. And so God has seen 

 fit to adorn this little bird, and to send thousands and thousands 

 of such, flitting and quivering about the wilderness where no human 

 eye ever sees them. Various in form and size, some no bigger 

 than a humble-bee; some as large as our plain Jenny Wren; 

 some with long slender tails, that droop gracefully earthward; 

 others with_ short stumpy ones, that look as if they had been cut 

 close off with a pair of scissors; some have tails more or less 

 deeply indented or forked, with the forks turning down or up, as 

 the case may be. In one species the tail goes straight up from 

 the back for a short distance, then divides into two portions, like 

 the legs of a pair of compasses a little way open — each of these 

 is almost as thick as the body, and a great deal longer. In 

 another the outer feather of each fork of the tail, which is much 

 longer than the rest, spreads out at the end into a shape like the 

 bowl of a spoon, or a racket-bat, hence it is called the Kacket- 

 tailed Humming Bird; it will be found among our figured species. 



Many of these birds have fan-like tails, that when spread out 

 in the sunshine, look as if they were set with gems; some are 

 crested, some have ruffs about the neck, and some what appear 

 to be small supplementary wings, springing out of each side of 

 the head; others have little downy muffs, like powder-puffs, about 

 the legs. 



Infinite is the variety of shape and hue, strong the contrasts 

 of colour which they exhibit, yet do they never strike the observer 

 as grotesque in form, or gaudy in tint; they are always beautiful, 

 always pleasing; let them sport ever so much finery, and wear 

 the most oddly-shaped dresses, we feel that it is natural and not 

 artificial, and can find no fault with tlfem on the score of good 

 taste. Look at the little feathered fop on next page. — "What a 

 provokingly pert and impudent air he has, with his spread wings, 

 perked-up tail and crest, and bold bright eye; his flaming gorget 



