HUMMING BIRD. 
207 
excited how so feebly constructed and delicate a little 
creature can make its way oyer such extensive regions 
of lakes and forests, among so many enemies, all its 
superiors in strength and magnitude. But its very 
minuteness, the rapidity of its flight, which almost 
eludes the eye, and that admirable instinct, reason, or 
whatever else it may be called, and daring courage, 
which heaven has implanted in its bosom, are its guides 
and protectors. In these we may also perceive the 
reason, why an all-wise Providence has made this little 
hero an exception to a rule which prevails almost uni- 
versally through nature, viz. that the smallest species 
of a tribe are the most prolific. The eagle lays one, 
sometimes two, eggs ; the crow, five ; the titmouse, 
seven or eight ; the small European wren, fifteen ; the 
humming bird, two: and yet this latter is abundantly 
more numerous in America than the wren in Europe. 
About the 25th of April, the humming bird usually 
arrives in Pennsylvania; and about the 10th of May 
begins to build its nest. This is generally fixed on the 
upper side of a horizontal branch, not among the twigs, 
but on the body of the branch itself. Yet I have 
known instances where it was attached by the side to 
an old moss-grown trunk; and others where it was 
fastened on a strong rank stalk, or weed, in the garden ; 
but these cases are rare. In the woods it very often 
chooses a white oak sapling to build on ; and in the 
orchard, or garden, selects a pear tree for that purpose. 
The branch is seldom more than ten feet from the 
ground. The nest is about an inch in diameter, and 
as much in depth. A very complete one is now lying 
before me, and the materials of which it is composed 
are as follow : — The outward coat is formed of small 
pieces of a species of bluish gray lichen that vegetates 
on old trees and fences, thickly glued on with the saliva 
of the bird, giving firmness and consistency to the 
whole, as well as keeping out moisture. Within this 
are thick, matted layers of the fine wings of certain 
flying seeds, closely laid together; and, lastly, the 
