The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-06-23
Our Ruby Throat.

o. 8 T.
Many times day, as sit at work by
my window, in the genial months Of
summer, there breaks in on nv. ear
from the garden outside q series of
quick, faint, sweet chirps, not louder
than the notes of q cricket, yet far more
musical, and turning swiftly-for /
know the sounds WE'LL descry hum
ming-bird floating like live emerald
amid my flowers. AS it plunges its bill
into their dainty beakers it murmurs its
happy content in soft, satisfied tones
like the cooing Of a babe at its mother s
breast. snatch the opera-glass always
standing ready for such occasions, and
make study of my fairy visitor as long
as it remains in sight. lowering in the
air on wings vibrating so rapidly that
we hear rather than see their marvel
Gus motion, the bird pauses in front Of
each inviting blossom a moment or more
in keenly searching attitude, as if to
prove the full promise enticing it for
ward ere yielding itself up to the warm
sallurement. .sgs hae ss3ty. s4as;r.4 !.
:. Probing this cup Of nectar and pass
ing by that, its choice among the tiow-
ers appears to be, dictated BY q purely
capricious fancy. Yet it is really intent
on an errand somewhat different from
what is generally suspected, the tiny
insects which rifle the flowers of their.
honeyed treasures forming the chief
charm which attracts it toward them.
1t is fond OF the perfumed sirup dis,
titled in their painted laboratories, but
takes it in the way Of a relish. or
dressing Tor the fieshy morsels hidden
in their deep ifecesses, which 1t seizes
with the delicate forceps tipping its
tubular tongue. Thus that which seems
to be mere wayward coquetrys with a
beyy of beautiful blossoms is in truth
Ithe exercise of a wise selection, the ma
ture Of the .humming- bird demanding 3 d
more substantial diet than the bandssiiet
of sweets served up in the heart ofg d
fragrant cOrUlla.ss gntsggG1 amit sfaEi
AS arule. the nimble sylphi depends
entirely upon its piniops for support
while CLEANING its food. from floral re-
posltorieS, yet / often observe NJ resting
on, its slender feet when the icilancB Is
offered For Ainstance,f II q leaf happens
to project directly ;iundsr u seductive.
blossom, it accepts offgthe vahtasge.
ground. though with an air Of an unacrl
customed9 proceeding. 1T dropsits slim,
legs, usually tucked out Of sight 10 bill,
lows OF down, and stands perfectly still
on the green pedestal, with wings dtiite
and even folded, uiitif the duck repast
rs oyer. 70 4 have espe ecially nosiced this
interestingp performance with plants of
the balsam family (BalsapsiaW ], wheie
the flowers spring from the axis, and
oneEor two in every group, resting just
over leaf, prove awkward to reach
unless the bird Interrupts its Hight and
takes their enticing tidbits standing.
These feathefed sunLfIakesi whi.h
make a hunting ground Of my garden
are in the habit of taking rest from
their elm courses ON the dry ,;twigs
stretching out here and there beyond
the green bonghs OF an oak in view Of.
my window: Here they perch for val y
ing intervals, sometimes for many NM
utes, perhaps a half h-hour togethe Ell. On
first alighting, they busy themselves
with affairs of the toilet, combing their
glossy plumes with their diminutive
claws and drawing the, wing feathers
one by one through the narrowly open 81
heak, which is afterward cleaned and |
polished by rubbing IL back and forth /
vigorously against the ,perch.ig TLis
careful process finally accomplished, the
glistening atOmies sitsfora - while in
beatific state of contemplation, now mo-
tionless, and dreamy, and again peer
ing about from side to side, with their
long sharp bin 8hrdst outward ike an
emphasized note Of interrogation. Yrs /
Sara a. Hubbard, IN HarTer's Magazi,e..