OUR HOME BIRDS. 
181 
very act of abstracting a small spider with the point 
of his long beak from the centre of one of those beauti- 
ful circular webs of the garden spider that so abound 
through the South. The thing w r as done so daintily 
that he did not stir the dew T drops, which, now glitter- 
ing in the golden sun, revealed the gossamer tracery 
all diamond-hung. Our presence did not disturb 
him in the least, and we watched him catching 
spiders for half an hour ; he frequently came with- 
in two feet of our faces, and we could distinctly see 
him pluck the little spider from the centre of its 
wheel where it lies, and swallow it entire.’ 
“ Sometimes the humming-bird ventures into the 
spider’s web in search of entangled flies, which he 
also devours ; and it is very interesting to watch his 
manoeuvres. He approaches cautiously from beneath, 
and so enters the various labyrinths and cells, but as 
nice, tender flies are very dear to the heart of a large 
spider, he will not tamely submit to this despoiling 
of his larder, and Ruby has often been obliged to re- 
treat on the very eve of a feast. 
“ ‘ Then he would shoot off like a sunbeam, and 
could only be traced by the luminous glow of his 
refulgent colors. The bird generally spent about ten 
minutes in this predatory excursion, and then alight- 
ed on a branch to rest and refresh himself, present- 
ing to the sun his crimson star-like breast, which 
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