The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1851-06-18

| anu WIFI INC lnoSI patlenG care, VIC
never could see them touch the spi.
dcrs again, until the usual interval OF
about fortnight had elapsed, when
they attacked them again as vigor.
ously as cver-but the foray of one
morning seemed to suffice. Wc also
observed them carefully, to ascertain
whether they ate any other insects
than these spiders-but, although
we brought them every variety OF
the smallest and the most tender that
we could find, they did not notice
them at all-but if we would shut
them up past the time, until they be.
gan to look dropping, and then bring
ono Of those little spiders along with
other small insects, they would snap
up tho spider soon enough, but pay
no attention to the Others. We were
thoroughly convinced, after careful
experiment upon two families of them,
that they neither live entirely upon
the nectar of howers-as tho old nat
uralists supposcd-nor upon aarious
small insects in addition to the nectar,
as Mr.. Audubon asserts. The fact
is they can no more live beyond GER
tain time--about tortnight--upon
nectar alone, than they can upon air
| alone, nor do believe that life could
be preserved beyond a few days up
on spiders alone. There is another
rather curious observation we made,
that so long rs the white cup was not
dry, for 80 long they did not condcs-
cend TO notice the thousands of flow.
ers by which they were surrounded.
We used to starvc them little some
times for fun, and then would have to
hide, for .hey would make such a
row! five appearcd--fy close to
our faces, rcclsing gently at our teeth
and eyes, lighting on our hair and
pocl,ing Ut it, or Oh our shoulders
uuiiinu at it--untli. 7pIlatianas- It
WAS alu5 tliiEeAlss .ot Il y aS i erl.,as..t
was mo amusing OF annoying. At
last they would 90 away With evident
reluctance to the garden, and tear up
about half the flowers they tried, and
darting towards us the moment we
appeared again with the magical
white cup. Such was the spclit cx-
crciscd upon them, that when an: of
our friends, who came visiting us,
desired TO see them when they were
out and pcrchcd among the trees,
either Of us had only to walk into the
yod, and holding up the white cup
above our heads, initiate their own
chirp to attract their notice, and in
an instant one after another would
come dipping down from the branch
cs above, and cluster around the rim.
After a draught, which vas always
the first thing, they would sit aud
plume themselves. stopping every
now and then to ask one Of the stran.
gers with their steady eyes, 50 like
black diamonds
who are you, pray: What'll
you take 2
Their movements were SO light,
ning.like that though they would let
you get your hand near enough for
them to peek it, yet it was impossible
TO catch them. They would let us dc
it sometimes, but never. a stranger.
Now comes the, to me, most inter.
csting portion Of this narrative.
Our charming little family remain
ed with us on these pleasing terms
until the middle Of September, and
then, as they began to exhibit the
usual restlcssness Of migratory birds
tho sad question Of parting had to be
met. What we had already seen o.
them, convinced me conclusivcly thai
there must have been something o.
romance in the story that had so cn
chantcd me in the respectable page
Of Portfolio, during my fanciful
childhood, and which so roundly as
serted that the birds had been KEEP
through two winters! Now it i
barely possible said conservatory
may hayo had due supply Of spi
: dcrs, for Of one thing | am very sure
} that no Humming Bird could hav,
} been kept alive without them any
more than goldfish could be kcp
alive in distilled water, in which al
the animalcnle, which constitute thci
natural food, had been destroyed
We came, at last, to the conclusion
: that it would be selfish and abomina
bly, cruel Of us to keep the delicate
things with us in the clustering north
to die of pining for tho scented bow
crs Of their far sunny home. w
J let them ont, and with many tear
! saw them dart away at once toward
! the south, as if they felt they had a
ready tarricd too long.
We saw them but for an instan