THE HUMMING-BIRD. 



125 



sought for them, whole months without success, 

 until the blooming of the parasite plant informed 

 me, that I need labour in vain no longer. 



Once I had an odd adventure near a parasite 

 bunch of flowers in the forest. I had been sitting 

 about four hours on the ground, not much at my 

 ease, for the sun was blazing in full splendor, 

 when I heard a gentle rustling amongst the fallen 

 leaves ; and presently, I saw a fine martin of the 

 foumart family, making slowly up to the place 

 which I was occupying. 



On getting sight of me, it gave a kind of scream 

 as though it would have said, " halloo, sir, I did 

 not expect to meet you here ! " and then it instantly 

 turned about, and took to the trees ; I following 

 it, and shouting at the top of my voice. This 

 terrified it and increased its speed ; and whilst it 

 was in the act of vaulting from a branch, I fired at 

 it, without raising the gun to my shoulder. Won- 

 derful to relate, down dropped the flying martin : 

 dead as Julius Csesar. This is the first and last 

 quadruped I ever shot in mid-air. 



Very great doubts may be entertained as to 

 the song or supposed song of humming-birds. 

 Although I was in the midst of humming-birds, I 

 never heard the least attempt at it. Still/ the 

 great French naturalist talks of singing humming- 



