THE HUMMING-BIRD. 
17 
disappear. Indeed, on this occasion, they are 
said to wear their wedding dress. 
The splendid sun -bird * is one of the hand- 
somest of the whole tribe. His neck is of 
golden green, and varies in colour with every 
changing light. His head and throat some- 
times look black, and sometimes of a rich 
■ violet. He has a band of scarlet across his 
breast, and his tail is jet black, edged with 
golden green. 
When he is warbling to his mate, his voice 
is as sweet as the nighingale's ; but it is so 
low and soft you must be very near him to 
hear the song. 
The humming-bird is a relation of the 
sun-bird, but is rather different in his habits ; 
for he hovers over the flower, and sucks the 
juices, without settling upon it. Poised in 
the air, he peeps cautiously, with his spark- 
ling eye, into the recesses of the flower, 
vibrating his wings so rapidly that you 
can hardly see them. All the time, he makes 
a low humming sound that is very pleasant 
to listen to, and that seems to lull the insects 
B 
Nectarinia splendida. 
