HUMMING BIRDS. 
355 
the tree, and commencing at the trunk, with the lowest limb 
which leaned over the water, I followed it slowly and carefully 
with my eye out to the extremest twig, noting carefully every- 
thing that seemed like a knot. This produced no satisfactory 
result after half an hour’s trial, and with an aching neck I gave 
it up in despair, for I saw half a dozen knots, either one of 
which seemed as likely to be the right one as the other. 
‘ I now changed my tactics again, and, ascending the tree, 
I stopped with my feet upon each one of those limbs and 
looked down along it. It was a very tedious proceeding, but 
I persevered. Knot after knot deceived me, but, at last, 
when just above the middle of the tree, I caught a sharp 
gleam of gold and purple among the leaves, and, looking 
down upon the last limb to which I had climbed, almost lost 
my footing for joy, as I saw, about three feet out from where 
I stood, the glistening back and wings of the little bird just 
covering the top of one of these mysterious knots that was 
about half the size of a hen’s egg. 
6 The glancing head, long bill, and keen eyes were turned up- 
wards, and perfectly still, except the latter, which surveyed me 
from head to foot with the most dauntless expression. It seemed 
not to have the slightest intention of moving, and I would not 
have disturbed it for the world. It was sufficient to me to gaze 
on my long-lost treasure. Its pure white breast — or throat rather, 
for the breast was sunk in the nest — formed such a sweet and 
innocent contrast with the splendour of its back, head, and 
wings.’ The capture of the little birds which were afterwards 
hatched in that nest served to set at rest the question of the 
Humming Bird’s food. They lived mostly on syrup, but were 
obliged to fly off and eat the tiny garden spiders as they lay in 
the middle of their radiating webs. 
The nest of the Ruby-throated Humming Bird seems to be 
rather variable in form and material and situation, but has 
always a peculiar character which enables the experienced 
observer to recognise it. According to Wilson, it is sometimes 
fixed on the upper part of a horizontal branch, as was the case 
with the nest so graphically described by Mr. Webber. Some- 
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