THE SWIFTS AND HUMMING-BIRDS 
209 
As the bird poises in mid-air, the sunlight 
catches the patch of brilliant ruby-red feathers 
on its throat, and sets it aflame. To make up for 
their diminutive size, and give them a fair share 
of beauty, Nature has clothed the throats and 
RUBY-THROATED HUMMING-BIRD. 
breasts of many Humming-Birds with feather- 
patches of the most brilliantly iridescent colors, — 
ruby-red, scarlet, green, blue and gold, — which 
flash like jewels. Others again have long, orna- 
mental tail-feathers, ruffs, and other showy deco- 
rations in feathers. 
The Humming-Birds are so very diminutive 
one never ceases to wonder how such frail and 
delicate creatures, feeding only upon the small- 
est insects and the nectar of flowers, can make 
long journeys over this rough and dangerous 
earth, withstand storms, build their wonderful 
little nests, rear their young, and migrate south- 
ward again without being destroyed. Of course 
their diminutive size enables them to escape the 
attention of most of the living enemies which 
gladly would destroy them. 
The nest of a Humming-Bird is about as large 
in diameter as a lady’s watch, and the eggs, of 
which there are two, are the size of adult peas. 
The food of these birds generally consists of 
minute insects, many of which they find in large 
flowers. When at rest, perching, the average 
Hummer is not beautiful in form. Its head 
seems too large, its neck and body much too 
short, and its wings too long. It seems top- 
heavy, and as if destitute of legs. It is on the 
wing that these creatures look their best. 
What Humming-Birds lack in size, they try to 
make up in number. There are nearly five 
hundred species, and they are found only in the 
New World. They are thoroughly tropical, but 
in warm weather, and the season of flowers, they 
migrate as far north as Alaska, and as far south 
as Patagonia. Our country makes an accept- 
able summer home for about sixteen species. 
The Ruby-Throat is the only one inhabiting 
the eastern half of the United States, all the 
others being found west of Arkansas, and the 
Rocky Mountains. 
