Hon. Anthony Chaplin—Of Fable and Fact



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OF FABLE AND FACT


By the Hon. Anthony Chaplin


After a vigil of eight years I have at length become the possessor

of three living Humming-Birds : they have been with me now for

a month. It is an unfortunate truth that a dream at long last fulfilled

too often savours of disappointment. But in this case I am happy not

to have proved this serious state of things, for, although I have followed

the tortuous path of trocilidic study for a reasonable season, I am still

able to find with Hudson that ‘ Humming-Birds are perhaps the very

loveliest things in nature But, unlike and in spite of that great

man of letters and of science, having “ sufficiently admired the unique

beauty and marvellous velocity of Humming-Birds ”, I consider there

is still a deal more to be said about them. Indeed, one of the greatest

attractions of this race of “ feathered fairies ”, which certainly

“ promises to exceed all other families—even the cosmopolitan Finches

and Warblers—in number of species ”, is that we know so little about

them when it comes to being more than just a “ science of dead

animals ”.


One of the few facts concerning Humming-Birds about which

aviculturists feel any confidence is that they become lifeless at a lower

temperature than 65° F. Nevertheless, I have had Eupetomena macroura

in an outdoor aviary for a fortnight, and it is in fine health : the

appended chart of temperatures is inclined to lower the value of such

facts. Likewise, I have submitted the little Chrysolampis moschitus

and Eucephela ccendea to the comparatively low temperature of 57° F.

for considerable periods at a stretch, without seeing any change in the

apparently excellent condition of these diminutive beings. Even so,

I have found the Chrysolampis torpid at 70° at 10.30 p.m., so we must

seek the real explanation of this unusual avian habit elsewhere.


What do we know of the feeding habits of the Trochilidse ? Of

migration, of voice, of mental disposition ? “ Oh, yes,” you say,


“ they do not sing, for they have no vocal muscles ; they resemble

insects rather than birds in intelligence ; we know, for we have read.”

Yet not a few species certainly boast of vocal powers in keeping with

their pigmy persons, and in captivity they show more intelligence



