but on the wing the puzzle i is one a bina lover will prefer not 
to solve by taking a life, which could not be restored. | 
| Although they are the midgets of the sky, the hum- 
mingbirds have little fear of man and many stories are told 
of their bravery. A man once found a partly built nest 
while the owner was away, and placed his hand about it as 
he awaited the bird’s return. When she came, she paid no ~ 
~ attention to him but stretched her tiny feet about his finger 
and wove her load of down into the foundation, while he 
stood still, quietly enjoying a new experience. 
Another time this same careful student walked slowly 
across a yard to a swaying clothesline on which a humming-. 
bird was sunning herself and placed his hand upon her 
back before she moved. A sudden motion would have made 
her dart away, but his gentle ways did not frighten her. 
An odd experience was had in a city suburb when a lady 
was startled as she walked toward the car by a sudden loud 
buzz near her head. She recognized a Rufous Humming- 
bird circling rapidly about her, making quick dashes at her 
hat, which was trimmed with a wreath of red columbines. 
Not finding the sweets he expected, away went the sprite 
with an explosive sound that could easily be understood as 
‘an expression of his utter disgust at es been fooled by 
. artificial flowers. 
~ What would he have done if he had found on her Head 
the monstrous creation once seen in a milliner’s window: 
a hat with the twisted, distorted skins of twenty-four — 
hummingbirds placed, not trimmed, about its crown! We 
may rejoice that such a sight cannot be seen on women to- 
day. The bird lovers have succeeded in passing laws which 
curb the selfish vanity that once caused the murder of many 
of these courageous midgets of the sky. _ SS 
176 
