The Russellville Democrat., 1880-10-21
RUNNING BIRDS.
A Pretty Cahapter About the Dainty Little
 Creatures.

Joel Benton in the Christian Union.
 A glowing circle of balm now in flower IS at this time greater center ofattractlon for the humming birds which come here from early morning, and go westward and return again at frevqent in.ervils, until afier nightfalI. I hardly get seated at my open window before I hear buzzing, amost thudding sound as If boy were at hand with tin wheel on a string, which he pulls so as to make the wheel swiftly revolve. But a close look reveals much more animated mechan- ism than that. There is nothing dainter or prettier to be seen than the color, motions and enthusiasm of the humming bird when he is taking his repast. A little glossy, throbbing piece of vivacity sitting on the air with his feet curled tightly up, and bouyant as feather, moving at his sweet, fleet will from one tubular flower to another, and his liquid eye shining afar. Waves of shit ing blue sweep over the glossy green black, in each angle of .he sunlight, giv- ing the effect of suddenly transformed drapery, and when he turns to you in front, his red gorget, or throat-piece, glistens with redness of the flame like flower lie salutes. His motion is so sur passingly swift can think of no winged motion like it. The bees would be put out of breath to keep up with him.
 The female bird of this specie (trochi Jus colubris) )-the ruby-throated dis penses with the red neckerchief, and it is said the young birds do not have it. In the autumn the males in the young brood get touch of red color, but it is not un- til the following spring that the throat has it's utmost briliancy. Yesterday both heads of the family dropped down upon the little balm patch, and 1 saw that the female was much more demure and less aggressive character than her gay lord. In size she is trifle smaller. The wings of both, when used to buoy them up, seem more like fine mist or vapor than like some fabric; gauge is not and woven spider would not, be half so aerial.
 If you watch these birds long you will occasionally see them alight. when they almost always choose dry twig, or one not thick with leaves, for their tenn porary pedestal. When one sits thus for moment-it is never long-you will see him wipe his bill on both sides against the twig branch two or three times, as if he wished to be relieved of the protruaing honey, after which ceremony he will strike in as direct line as possible for his nest. Both took a seat yesterday on little bush which pushes nearly into my window distance of not over three or four feet, respectively from my disengaged hand; but directed no motion toward them more violent than the glance of my eye, which they bore for the usual space without finch ing, and then took flight. The diet of the humming bird IS composed of insect and honey incidentally and they do the flowers service Tn removing them. Audubon says their delightfully."- nur. muring sound, as they are poised above the flowers, lis well adapted for lulling the insect to ropose." The hummIng bird has long delicate bill, and it's protruding, double-tubed tongue is gov erned with a "glutunous saliva" by which it overwhelms each insect it touches and draws it out "to be instantly swallowed" It IS bird of the Western hemisphere and 300 species have been discovered (some say 400), which latter number is only 100 less than all other species of birds put together.