THE HUMMING-BIRD. 



127 



their food. Yet, when they are in the right region 

 to acquire it, there is a visible difference in their 

 mode of proceeding. Thus, the monkey sits on 

 the branch, and, in that position, supplies its 

 wants, with what the tree produces. But the 

 humming-bird, must be on wing whilst it extracts 

 food from the flowers ; and never can it possibly be 

 seen to take nourishment, whilst perching on a 

 twig. 



This rule is absolute for the humming-bird. 



The vault of heaven offers a large supply of food 

 to these birds. It is interesting to see how they 

 satisfy the call of hunger, by invading the columns 

 of insects which frequent the circumambiant 

 atmosphere. Darting from the shade, with the 

 rapidity of a meteor, the humming-bird stops short 

 at the column, and there, apparently motionless, it 

 regales itself, and then departs, as swiftly as it had 

 approached. 



Authors are divided as to the exact kind of food 

 which humming birds require. 



In all the species which I have inspected (and 

 I have inspected not a few), I have found insects, 

 or fragments of insects in the oesophagus ; and 

 occasionally, by applying my tongue to the 

 contents of the stomach, I have experienced a sweet 

 taste, as though of sugar and water. Still, were I 



