HUM 
HUM 
with food and habitation; and in the middle there 
is an aperture for the purpofe of refpiration. 
However, nature has not invariably decreed that 
all the worms of the Flumble Bee Flies fhould 
feed on animal fubftances; for we find fome de- 
lighted with vegetable food, and particularly one 
fpecies that lhev;s a ftrong predileftion for the bul- 
bous roots of flowers. 
HUMISUGA. An appellation given to a 
fpecies of tly, from it's fuppofed quality of fubfifl:- 
ing on the juices of the earth, without taking in 
any folid food. It's body is brov/nifh, or dun- 
coloured; there is a white fpot at the infertion of 
the wings, and another on the head ; the legs are 
black; the back is marked with four dull white 
iongitudinal lines; and the wings, which exhibit C. 
luminous appearance when pvit into water,' are of 
a filvery whitenefs. This infeft is common about 
pathways, on mole-hills, and in other places where 
the ground has been rec^ ntlv ftirred. 
HUMMING-BIRD. A very beautiful genus 
of Ainerican birds ; the diftinguilhing charaft rrs of 
which are, that the beak is of a fubulated figure 
ar.d as fine as a thread, longer than the head, and 
terminating in a fi.ie tube or pipe, the upper man- 
dible forming a kind of fiieath for the lower ; that 
the tongue is filiform, and rendered tubular by the 
jundlion of two threads ; and that the feet are formed 
for walking. 
Linnaeus enumerates tv/enty-two fpecies of this 
genus, from the fize of a fmall wren down to that 
of a humble-bee; and an European might be 
tempted to believe a bird fo extremely minute as 
not to exceed a common bee in magnitude, to be 
a creature of the imagination only, were it not as 
frequently feen in America as butterflies in fum- 
mer, fporting among the flowers, and extra6ting 
tlieir fweets with it's little bill. 
It is almoft inconceivable how much thefe nu- 
merous, minute tribes, add to the high finiftiing 
and beauty of a rich luxurious Tranfatlantic land- 
fcape. As foon as the fun is rifen, Hurriming- 
Birds of different kinds are feen huttering about 
the flowers, without ever fettling on them. Their 
wings are in fuch rapid miOtion, that it is impofli- 
ble to difcern their colours but by their effulgence. 
They are inceffajitly Ihifting from flower to flower, 
and drav/ing out their mellifluous juices: for this 
purpofe they are furnifhed v/ith forked tongues, 
which entering the cups of the flowers, extract their 
neclareous fl:ores, the file fubfiflence of thefe ani- 
mals. The quick movement of their wings pro- 
duces a kind of humaTiing noife; and from this 
clrcumftance they derive their name. 
Thefe birds build their nefts after a very fingular 
manner: they fufpend them from the extremities 
of twigs of the orange, the pomegranate, 'or the 
citron-tree; and fometimes even from the houfes 
of the natives, provided they can find convenient 
twigs for that purpofe. The female performs' the 
OiHce of an architect; while the male goes in quell 
of materials, fuch as cotton, fine mofs, and the 
fibres of vegetables: of thefe fubflrances a fmall 
neft is compofed, admirably contrived, and warmly 
lined with cotton ; in which the hen lays two eggs, 
each about the fize of a fmall pea, and as white as 
fnow, except a few brown fpecks. The male and 
the female perform the bufinefs of incubation by 
turns: but the latter appropriates to herfelf the 
greateft fliare of attention; fhe feldom quits her 
eggs, except for a few minutes in the morning; 
and again in the evening, when the flowers are co- 
vered with the choiceit dews. During this fliort 
interval the male takes her place; for as the eggs 
are fo very fmall, if they were at all expofed to the 
weather, their contents would probably be injured. 
The feafon of incubation continues twelve days; 
at the expiration of which the-, young brood ap- 
pear, each nearly about the fize of a.' blue-hotcle 
fly: at firff they are C|uite naked; by. degrees they 
become covered with down; and at laft feathers 
fucceed, but much lefs beautiful than thofe v/hich 
appear after the firft moking. 
Father Labat informs us, that one of his afTo- 
ciates in the miffion to America found a nefl: of 
young Humming-Birds in a ihed near his dwel- 
ling-houfc, which he took in at a time when they 
were about fifteen or twenty days old. He then 
placed tliem at his chamber window, that he might 
be dmufed by their fportive flutieriiigs; but was 
foon furprized to fee the old ones come and feed 
their brood regularly every hour in the day. By 
thefe means they themfelves foon grevv' fo tarne, 
that they feldom quitted the chamber, and at laft 
continued to live entirely with their young. All 
of thern frequently perched on tlieir mailer's hand, 
chiiTuping as if they had enjoyed perfecft liberty. 
He fed them with a very fine pafte,''' compofed of 
v>'ine, bifcuit, and fugar; into which they thrufl: 
their tongues till they were fitisfied, and then flut- 
tered and chirruped about the room. ' I never 
beheld any thing more agreeable,' fays Labat, 
' than this lovely little family, that had taken pof- 
fcffion of miy companion's chamber, and that flew 
out and in at their pleafure, but were ever atten- 
tive to the voice of their maffer when he called 
them. In this manner they lived with him up- 
v/ards of fix months; but, at a time v.'hen he ex- 
pefted to fee a new colony formed, he unfortu- 
nately forgot to tie up their cage to the cieling at 
night, in order to preferve them from the rats ; and 
iii the morning he had the mortification to find 
them all deftroyed.' 
On the continent of America thefe birds conti- 
nue to flutter all the year round, their food never 
forfaking them in thofe genial clim.ates where they 
abound ; but thofe of the Antilles, when the win- 
ter feafon approaches, retire, and, as fome fay, con- 
tinue in a torp'd ftate during it's feverity. At Ja- 
maica and Surinam, however, v;here the flowers 
retain a perpetual verdure, thefe; elegant birds are 
never known to difappear, 
It is doubtful whether thefe birds have one con- 
tinued note in finging. All travellers agree thatj 
befides the humming noife produced by their 
wings, they have a low interrupted chirrup; but 
Labat afferts, that they have a mod pleafine fo- 
Icmn melody in their notes, though weak, and pro- 
portioned to the organs which produce it. 
The plumage of the Humming-Bird was form- 
erly in high efl:imation among the Indians, as an 
ornament for their belts and head-drefles. Their 
children take theie birds in the fields, on rings be- 
fmeared with a vifcuous lubfl:ance. They ap- 
proach the places where the little creatures are fly- 
ing, and twirling their rings in the air, fo allure 
them, either by their colour or found, that the fim- 
ple animals perch on them, and are detained. 
They are then inftandy killed, gutted, and fij- 
fpended in chimneys, in order to dry. Thofe who 
take the greatefl: care of their feathers, dry them 
in fl:oves, which is generally found a better metliod 
of preferving dieir beauty. The higheft ranks of 
favage nobility formerly valued themifelves on the 
ornaments 
