OF BIRDS. 
219 
imitate. The bill is black and slender, and the head is 
adorned with a small crest, which sparkles in the sun, like 
a little star in the middle of the forehead. The larger 
hummingbird, which is nearly half as big as the wren, is 
without a crest; but to make amends it is covered from 
the throat half way down the belly, with crimson feathers, 
and in different lights, change to a variety of different co« 
lours. The heads of both are small, with little round 
eyes, as black as jet. 
It is inconceivable how much these little creatures add 
to the high finishing of a luxuriant western landscape. 
In the West Indies and South America, as soon as the 
sun is risen, the humming-birds of different kinds are seen 
fluttering about the flowers, without ever alighting upon 
them, their wings are in such rapid motion; visiting 
flower after flower, and extracting its nectar, as if with a 
kiss; while the motion of their wings produces a hum- 
ming sound, which first gave rise to their name. 
The nests of these birds, which are about the size of 
a hen’s egg cut in two, are not less curious than the rest: 
they are suspended in the air, at the point of the twigs 
of an orange, a pomegranite, or a citron tree; and are 
composed of cotton, fine moss, and the fibres of vegeta- 
bles. The female lays two eggs about the size of small 
peas, and as white as snow, with here and there a yellow 
speck; and at the end of twelve days the young ones ap- 
pear. These are at first bare, but are gradually covered 
with down, and at last with feathers. 
Bird of Paradise. ( Paradiscea . PI. 36.) This bird 
has been so called, we may fairly suppose, on account of 
his being generally seen on the wing, and flying in the 
tropic zone at a small distance from the land. Its ap- 
pearance being most welcome to the tired sailor and 
longing passenger, generally causes much happiness by 
its foretelling the vicinity of terra firma. The head is 
small, but adorned with colours which can vie with the 
brightest nuances of the peacock’s embellishments; the 
neck is of a fawn tint, and the body very small, but co- 
vered with long feathers of a browner hue, tinged with 
gold; two feathers issue from the rump, and constitute 
