124 LITTLE FOLKS 
are very much used by all Humming Birds to bind their homes 
together. 
I can't begin to tell you of the colors of these wonderful little 
beauties — all the most magnificent and brilliant colors you can 
imagine are fairly showered on them. 
Some of them are called Sun Angels, others Coquettes, and 
such names as Ruby Headed, Sylph, Sparkling Tail, Wood Star, 
Crested, Sun Gem and Ruby Throat, are common among them. 
One of the most curious cf t lem, is called Puff Legged, or 
White Booted, because of a singular ball of feathers on his legs, 
looking exactly like a down powder puff, or a tiny white muff. 
All humming birds have ten feathers in the tail, but they are 
arranged in as many different ways as there are kinds. Some are 
sharp and stick out like thorns, and the owners are called Thorn 
Tails. Others have two feathers very long and drooping ; these are 
four times as long as the bird. Another sort has the two longest 
feathers sticking out like two arms or the two sides of the letter V. 
Some are round and short, and stick pertly up on the bird, and 
others are forked like a swallow's tail. But in whatever way 
arranged, these ten feathers make a beautiful show. For beauty of 
color, the Humming Birds may be set down as the most gorgeous 
in the world. 
I must now tell you about the tragedy going on in the picture 
on the preceding page. 
The bird whose nest you see among the flowers, is one of the 
Hermit Humming Birds, and the murderer who has killed one of 
the owners of that quiet home, is the great crab spider — a dreadful 
creature, as large, when spread out, as a mans hand, I have read. 
This monster builds no house, and spins no web, but hides under 
leaves of trees, ready to pounce on small birds, or anything else he 
can find that he can master. 
The night is his favorite time for hunting, and very properly, 
too, for such scenes are suitable to darkness. 
