178 
OUR HOME BIRDS. 
him. When arrived before a thicket of these that 
are full blown, he poises or suspends himself on wing 
for the space of two or three seconds, so steadily that 
his wings become invisible or only like a mist ; and 
you can plainly distinguish the pupil of his eye look- 
ing round with great quickness and circumspection ; 
the glossy golden green of his back and the fire of 
his throat, dazzling in the sun, form altogether a 
most interesting appearance. 
“ 4 When he alights, which is frequently, he always 
prefers the small dead twigs of a tree or bush, where 
he dresses and arranges his plumage with great dex- 
terity. His only note is a single chirp — not louder 
than that of a small cricket or grasshopper — gene- 
rally uttered while passing from flower to flower or 
when engaged in fight with his fellows ; for when two 
males meet at the same bush or flow T er a battle in- 
stantly takes place, and the combatants ascend in 
the air, chirping, darting, and circling round each 
other, till the eye is no longer able to follow them. 
The conqueror, however, generally returns to the 
place to reap the fruits of his victory/ 
44 These fairy-like creatures, sometimes called the 
4 jewels of ornithology/ usually arrive here the last 
of April, and early in May they build a tiny and 
most perfect specimen of bird architecture. This 
]*tle, thimble-like nest is about an inch around, and 
