Ht0nming’ Birds, 2 1 1 
and experience, and form no part of the inherited 
complex instincts. The longer he observes any 
one species or individual, the more does he find in 
it to reward his attention ; this is not the case, 
however, with humming-birds, which possess the 
avian body but do not rank mentally with birds. 
The pleasure one takes in their beauty soon 
evaporates, and is succeeded by no fresh, interest, 
so monotonous and mechanical are all their actions ; 
and we accordingly find that those who are most 
familiar with them from personal observation have 
very little to say about them. A score of humming- 
birds, of as many distinct species, are less to the 
student of habits than one little brown-plumaged 
bird haunting his garden or the rush-bed of a 
neighbouring stream; and, doubtless, for a reason 
similar to that which makes a lovely human face 
uninformed by intellect seem less permanently 
attractive than many a homelier countenance. He 
grows tired of seeing the feathered fairies per- 
petually weaving their aerial ballet-dance about the 
flowers, and finds it a relief to watch the little finch 
or wren or flycatcher of shy temper and obscure 
protective colouring. Perhaps it possesses a 
graceful form and melodious voice to give it 
msthetic value, but even witliout such accessories 
he can observe it day by day with increasing interest 
and pleasure ; and it only adds piquancy to the 
feeling to know that the little bird also watches him 
with a certain amount of intelligent curiosity and 
a great deal of suspicion, and that it studiously 
endeavours to conceal from him all the little secrets 
of its life which he is })ont on disco veriim. 
o 
p 2 
