70 
HUMMING-BIRDS. 
have similar changes. The common black head- 
ed Gull gains its soft and chaste looking cowl ; the 
Teal, Wild Drake, and Goosander, their glossy heads; 
the Divers, the curious markings of their throats ; 
the Grebes the lengthened fringes which spring from 
their cheeks or auricular feathers ; and instances of 
the change of colour, or increased brilliancy of the 
skin, may he mentioned in the naked space surround- 
ing the eye of the Pheasant, the skin above the eyes 
of the various Grouse, and the forehead of the Coot 
and Water-Hen. Many other common instances 
might be given from our own well-known birds ; and 
the inhabitants of other climes will present many still 
more singular, though none perhaps so splendid, as 
the temporary adornments of Humming-birds. 
Regarding their manners during the breeding sea- 
son, we may mention, in addition to what was re- 
lated in the introductory chapter to the first volume, 
that both male and female sit by turns, and, on the 
authority of M. Drapiez, that there are two, three, 
and sometimes four broods in the year. This last 
fact will enable us better to account for the immense 
profusion of these little birds which are generally found 
together. Their nest seems to be built in a greater 
variety of shapes, and of more varied materials, than 
the compact and elegant structures which we see in 
collections, and which have been sent to this country, 
more from their beauty and neatness than for the 
sake of increasing our knowledge of their formation. 
The following remarks upon the manners of the 
