NORTHERN HUMMING-BIRD. 
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to think the latter the case, as they seem to he busily 
feeding at all times of the day, which would not be the 
case, had they long flights to perform at that period.” 
This humming-bird has generally been supposed 
to live only on Jioney or liquid sweets, but Wilson 
observes, “ I can speak decisively on this subject, 
having seen the humming-bird for half an hour at a 
time darting after those little groups of bisects that 
dance in the air in a fine summer’s evening, retiring 
to an adjoining twig to rest, and renewing the attack 
with a dexterity that sets all our other fly -catchers at 
defiance. It is well known that they are particularly 
fond of tubular flowers, where numerous small insects 
resort, and there is every reason for believing that 
they are as often in search of these insects as of honey, 
and that the former compose at least as great a portion 
of their usual sustenance as the latter.” 
The Northern Humming-bird is three inches and 
a half in length, and four and a quarter in extent ; the 
whole back, upper part of the neck, sides, under the 
wings, tail-coverts, and two middle feathers of the 
tail, are of a rich golden green ; the tail and wings 
are deep brownish purple ; the sides of the belly, and 
belly itself, dusky white, mixed with green. But 
what constitutes the chief ornament of this little bbd, 
is the splendour of the feathers of his throat, which, 
when placed in a proper position, glow with all the 
brilliancy of the ruby. These feathers are of singular 
strength and texture, lying close together like scales, 
and vary, when moved before the eye, from a deep 
