96 
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HUMMING-BIRD. 
Over the shining brooks, and in the maze of vegetation composed 
of lianas and air-plants, they are darting about in ceaseless motion ; 
of all sizes, from one almost as large as our English sparrow to the tiny 
hermit, whose body is not half the size of an ordinary bee. " Some- 
times they may be seen chasing each other in sport with a rapidity 
of flight and intricacy of path the eye is puzzled to follow. Again, 
circling round and round, they rise high in mid-air, then dart otf like 
light to some distant attraction. Perched upon a little limb, they 
smooth their plumes, and seem to delight in their dazzling hues; then 
starting off leisurely, they skim along, stopping capriciously to kiss the 
coquetting flowerets. Often two meet in mid-air and furiously fight, 
their crests and the feathers upon their throats all erected and blazing, 
and altogether pictures of the most violent rage. Several times we 
saw them battling with large black bees, which frequent the same 
flowers, and may be supposed often to interfere provokingly. Like 
licrhtnino- our little heroes would come down ; but the coat of shining 
mail would ward off" their furious strokes. Aojain and again would 
they renew the furious atjiack, until their anger had expended itself 
by its own fury, or until the apathetic bees, once roused, had put forth 
powers that drove the invaders from the field." 
The hummino[-bird has one singular characteristic. What was 
erroneously said of the bird of paradise is true of him, — that is, he 
is never seen on the ground. He belongs to the air and the green 
branches of the woods ; earth he scorns. Another characteristic is 
that which his English name indicates — the humming noise Avhich is 
produced by the swift vibrations of his scythe-like wings. Again : he is 
distinguished by the rapidity of his movements. He never loiters, never 
takes life leisurely. His flight is sharp and direct as that of an arrow 
from a bow. You can scarcely see him until he arrives before a flower ; 
and then you would think he was at rest, such is the " astonishing 
vibration" of his pinions. At rest! this "winged jewel" seems a very 
spirit of motion, and never seeks repose except for incubation or sleep. 
The Old World has never a humming-bird ; a great loss, it must be 
admitted. But he is a creature of the Tropics, and of the tropical 
regions of the Western Hemisphere. A few species wander into the 
