THE HUMMING-BIRD. 
15 
cause its wings seem to catch the light, and 
shine almost as brightly as the sun. It sucks 
the juices of the flowers with its long slender 
tongue, and passes from blossom to blossom, 
uttering a shrill impatient call. But it does 
not feed upon the wing, and hover over the 
flower as the humming-bird does. It settles 
on the petals, and this it can easily do, for 
the flowers of the tropics are gigantic com- 
pared with ours. Then, it puts in its long 
bill, and, darting out its tongue, picks off* first 
one insect and then another ; and when it has 
had enough, it takes a sip of honey as if to 
finish the repast. 
The sun-bird is very fond of a tree called 
the sugar tree, because at the bottom of the 
flowers it is sure to find a great quantity of 
sugary juice. The natives of that cou|itry 
gather the flowers of the sugar tree, and boU 
down the juice, and use it, as we do sug^, 
for preserving fruit. Numbers of little sun- 
birds are always to be seen perched upon 
the flowers, sipping honey, or making havoc 
among the insects, who, like themselves, are 
fond of sugar. 
The sun-bird makes her nest of the down of 
.4^ 
