140 Messrs. A. and E. Newton's Observations 
the Swallow; and accordingly great as this alar action is, and 
in spite of the contrary opinion entertained by Mr. Gosse (Nat. 
Sojourn in Jamaica, 240), it is yet sometimes wanting in power, 
owing doubtless to the disadvantageous leverage thus obtained; 
and the old authors must be credited, who speak of cobwebs 
catching Humming Birds. 
“On the 3rd of May, 1857, a bird of this species flew into 
the room where I was sitting, and, after fluttering for some 
minutes against the ceiling, came in contact with a deserted 
spider's web, in which it got entangled and remained suspended 
and perfectly helpless for more than a minute, when by a 
violent effort it freed itself. I soon after caught it, still having 
fragments of the web on its head, neck, and wings; and I feel 
pretty sure that, had this web been inhabited and in good re¬ 
pair instead of being deserted and dilapidated, the bird would 
never have escaped*."—A. N. 
“ This bird breeds from the end of March to the end of June. 
It is an easy matter to find its nest; for on approaching within 
ten or a dozen yards of where it is, the bird, if it is on, is sure 
to fly at you, and then retreating remains suspended a few 
seconds just above your head, when it darts off and perches on 
some dead twig, most likely on the very tree which holds its 
nest. It does not st^y here long, but takes short flights into 
the air, returning to the same place, and, when there, showing 
its impatience by a continual flirting or, rather, twitching of its 
wings. If you then retire, keeping your eye on the bird, it will 
presently dart straight on to its nest, leaving it, however, at the 
least movement on your part. This species is not particular as 
to the tree on which it builds, as I have found nests on the 
Silk-cotton, Mango, Manchioneel and Avocado-pear (Laurus 
persea,\i.). They are placed on a horizontal branch, from half 
an inch to two inches thick, and are composed of cotton or the 
* In the ‘ Zoologist ’ for 1858 (p. 5922) is a note from Mr. J. M. Jones, 
in which that gentleman says that the Vireo noveboracensis is sometimes 
captured in the net of the large spider (Epeira clavipes) which is found in 
the Bermudas; and in his recent work, ‘The Naturalist in Bermuda’ 
(p. 126), he again repeats the statement, adding, however, that it is only 
the young of that species which has been known to be thus entangled. 
