HUMMING BIRD. 
183 
observations made on the living bird, or by dissection of the 
newly killed one, have rendered this mistaken opinion almost 
general in Europe. For myself I can speak decisively on 
this subject : I have seen the Humming Bird, for half an hour 
at a time, darting at those little groups of insects that dance 
in the air in a fine summer evening, retiring to an adjoining 
twig to rest, and renewing the attack with a dexterity that 
sets all our other Flycatchers at defiance. I have opened, 
from time to time, great numbers of these birds ; have 
examined the contents of the stomach with suitable glasses, 
and, in three cases out of four, have found these to consist of 
broken fragments of insects. In many subjects, entire insects 
of the coleopterous class, but very small, were found unbroken. 
The observations of Mr Coffer, as detailed above, and the 
remarks of my worthy friend Mr Peale, are corroborative of 
these facts. It is well known, that the Humming Bird is 
particularly fond of tubular flowers, where numerous small 
insects of this kind resort to feed on the farina, &c. ; and 
there is every reason for believing that he is as often in search 
of these insects as of honey ; and that the former compose at 
least as great a portion of his usual sustenance as the latter. 
If this food be so necessary for the parents, there is no doubt 
but the young also occasionally partake of it. 
To enumerate all the flowers of which this little bird is fond, 
would be to repeat the names of half our American Flora. 
From the blossoms of the towering poplar or tulip tree, 
through a thousand intermediate flowers, to those of the 
humble larkspur, he ranges at will, and almost incessantly. 
Every period of the season produces a fresh multitude of new 
favourites. Towards the month of September, there is a 
yellow flower which grows in great luxuriance along the sides 
of creeks and rivers, and in low moist situations ; it grows to 
the height of two or three feet, and the flower, which is about 
the size of a thimble, hangs in the shape of a cap of liberty 
above a luxuriant growth of green leaves. It is the Balsamina 
noli me tangere of botanists, and is the greatest favourite with 
