hummingbird. Although in form it resembles the true swallow, m bodily 
structure it is much different. When not clinging to the sides of a 
chimney, the swift lives entirely in the air. I believe there is no record of 
a chimney swift alighting on trees or other objects as do other birds. The 
swift is remarkable also in nest building. It collects the material while 
in flight, breaking off the small dead twigs of trees. The nest is stuck 
to the chimney and the twigs to each other by a salivary, glue-hke sub- 
stance which the bird ejects from the mouth. The swifts are m the air 
from early dawn until late at night. As they obtain their food from the 
insects of the air, they are very beneficial birds. 
RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD— (Troc/zi/wj colubris.) 
Male, upper parts bright shining green; wings and tail dusky with 
purplish reflections; throat beautiful metallic ruby-red, bordered on the 
breast by whitish; rest of the under parts dusky, washed with greemsh 
on the sides. 
Female, similar but without the ruby-red on the throat. 
Length about three and three-fourths inches. 
Arrival. May 6 to 20. 
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