Mar., 1902. 1 
THE CONDOR 
35 
Hummingbird Experiences from my Note Book. 
MOI.LIE liRYAN, ORANGE, CAL. 
A t this season of the year, when 
household cares are not occupying 
the Anna hunitningbirds, {Calypte 
anna) they may be observ^ed at any 
hour of the day about their chosen feed- 
ing grounds. They alwa3'S select a 
perch near their favorite flavors, where 
they alight to rest, preen their feathers, 
sing their squeaky, mouse like song 
and occasionally dart out that long 
needle-like tongue after some passing 
insect, snapping its bill with quite an 
air of satisfaction over the dainty mor- 
sel. To any of the members of the 
Cooper Club who wish to establish a 
friendship with one of these tiny creat- 
ures I can heartily recommend that a 
red sun-bonnet be worn, or a red wrap- 
per — but the sun bonnet will prove the 
most effective and this will insure you 
the notice and often very especial at 
tention from any of these color-loving 
birds, and while it is watching this new 
species of flo'ver, you will be enabled 
to approach the little hummer’s perch. 
The Anna hummer is the familiar 
friend of many households in Southern 
California, sometimes choosing sites for 
their nests which show unlimited con- 
fidence in their human friends, or in 
their own ability to elude observation. 
At my own home they have sometimes 
built directly over the front walk, the 
tiny nest saddled to a limb of the pine 
tree, but alas! — twenty feet above my 
head. As little is to be learned by the 
neck-breaking work of watching such a 
nest, I go to my neighbors for observa- 
tions, where the birds are more con- 
siderate. At the home of one of these 
was the quaintest nest I ever saw. It 
was in a loop of bale rope that hung 
from the ceiling of the woodshed, and 
was securely fastened b^^ threads of 
cobweb to the rope. The nest was 
completed and eggs laid, before it was 
discovered by an^mne. It hung just in- 
side the door, and there the little owner 
sat gazing into the eyes of all who 
came to make her acquaintance. A 
prettier sight could not be imagined 
than this little nest, swaying gently in 
the sea breeze as the occupant gazed 
out on the busy world, as though this 
was the most natural place in the world 
for a nest. 
Another bird chose for her home the 
vines that twined above the steps of the 
back porch, of another friend. Early 
one morning my friend observed the 
bird fluttering among the leaves over- 
head, and thinking she had become en- 
tangled in a spider web, went to her 
rescue. As the bird darted away she 
saw a tiny bit of leaf down resting on a 
twig of the ivy, evidently the founda- 
tion of a nest. The family and neigh- 
bors were called and although it was 
Monday and wash-day, there was time 
to spare to watch little madam at her 
labors, for she labored alone. The step 
ladder was set up beneath the nest—to- 
be, and one and another mounted to 
watch, as the walls of the little home 
were erected and shaped over the 
breast of the little builder, as she turned 
this way and that in the nest, fitting 
and moulding it, working and pressing 
the material in with her bill. She payed 
no heed to the notice she was attract- 
ing, but worked as busy as a bee till al- 
most night. The walls were just high 
enough to keep it in place, when she 
deposited one egg. The second day the 
walls crept higher and higher and be- 
fore night the second egg was laid. 
The third daj^ the finishing touches 
were added to walls and lining — the 
little felt cup was finished. On the 
fourth day incubation began. 
It was three weeks before the little 
birds appeared, when the customary 
“pumping process” called feeding the 
little ones, was enacted. One of the 
little ones thrived wonderfully, stretch- 
ing the nest to accomodate its increas- 
ing size. By another three weeks the 
nest was almost in tatters and the ro- 
