The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-10-13
HUMMING BIRDS.
FACTS ABOUT THE LITTLE BIRD
THAT FEEDS ON NECTAR.
A Naturalist Describes Some Of Its
Enthusiastically of Finding
Its Artistic Home-Com-
position of Its Nest.

'I don't suppose there are many peo'
pie in this country who never saw hum
ming bird" said Honesdale (Penn.,
orrespondent to a New York San cor
respondent, "but if the question, 'Did
you ever see humming bird s nest9' was
on the census takers list, he would
receive NO for an answer from at least
$500 out of 10000 of the population.
Any rural urchin, if he is genuine boy,
can tell you where you may lind the nest
of every bird in his neighborhood, from
the hawks down to the chippy's-except
the humming birds. And yet this mite
/ of the air is cpmmoner than many other
species of bird whose nests the urchin
can take you to.
GA humming- birds nest is a sight
worth going good ways to see, and yet
you needn't 60 far to see one if you can
only find it. I was collector of birds
for years before I ever saw one of these
nests. Every year there was scarcely a
minute in the day during the summer
that humming-b g-biIds couldn't be seen
sucking the nectar from the honeysuckle,
hollyhock, lilies, or other flowers in my
garden, yet l had no idea whatever
where they nested and brought forth
their young. l noticed one summer that
fine specimen of the ruby-throat, after
lowering about my flowers for few mo-
ments, invariably flashed away in one
diret tion, following straight line, as
far as l could see him, toward thick
piece of woods a mile or so away. One
afternoon followed his course to the
spot where he disappeared from view and
waited there to see if he would pass on
another fight, intending to line him to
his home as the bee hunter does the wild
bee. What course he took back to the
flower garden 1 do not know, but in a
few minutes he passed where sat, hum
ming on his way again homeward. 1t
only momentary glimpse that caught
of him, passing as he did like ray
of light, but enough to see that he
went on as straight as bee line. I
followed to the second point of disap-
pearance, waited again, and once more,
after another visit to the garden, he
passed me and kept on toward the
woods. This time. being on the watch,
I saw the wee bird as he approached,
and was able to keep him in my eye
longer than I had before. After four re-
lays of watching in this way the hum
ming bird led me to clump of dogwood
trees, where he disappeared.
Satisfied that his nest was some
where in the trees I approached them
cautiously, but although saw the bird,
and once his mate, go and come every
few minutes out of one of the trees,
could not discover the spot they made
their home. I don't believe l would
have found the nest at ALL if it hadn't
been that blue jay flew in among the
trees and lit on branch of the tree in
which the humming birds lived. The
jay had scarcely perched on the limb,
when, like a shot, saw something dart
toward him, and as the big bird fut
tered and hoped about, evidently re-
luctant to leave the spot, l saw that he
was being fiercely assailed by the female
humming bird. The little thing hummed
like bnzz saw, and darted upon the jay
bird from below, above and from every
side, striking him with her long. needle
like bill, while he screeched and jumped
about, but was utterly unable to parry
blow of his radiant but fur ous assa liant.
Presently the male humming bird re-
turned, and quickly joined in the attack
on the intruding jay bird, who was soon
glad to take himself off, followed by the
pugnacious little fairies, until he went
screeching out Of sight.
"The hu,rming birds returned to the
tree, and instead of mystei iously disap-
pcaring in the foliage as before hovered
about particular spot on the gnarlcd
and twisted branch of the dogwood, and
there, as the female finally settled down,
I discovered the fairy home of these two
little sylphs beneath canopy of over
hanging leaves. The female nestled
down costly in the tiny cup, which was
so soft and elastic that even her delicate
plumage was unrutilcd by contact with
its moss covered edges.
s'From my hiding place-for I had
hidden in the bushes at the first attack
! of the humming bird on the jay--the
nest was but few feet distant, and I
could see its character, but could not tell
Of what it was constructed. One thing
! did notice, and that was, it was cunningly
fashioned to so harmonic with the bark
of the tree as to conceal it from the
closest observer. Often in my visits to
the nest afterward. and knowing its
location so we'll, I was unable to dis
cover it except after n minute or more
: of close observation.
''For short time after, tue two little
birds returned to their nest, after driving
away the jay-whirh, by the way, was
an exhibition of bravery and belliger-
ence on the part of the humming birds
for which I was entirely unprepared-
the male bird snuggled down c:o'e be-
side his mate, then poised itself for o
moment on its whirring wings above the
nest, and disappeared. I then stepped
out from my hiding place, but the bird
on the nest did not move, conscious, per-
haps of the security of its nesting place.
Not until had climbed the tree and bent
over the nest did she seem to realize that
she was discovered, and then she arose
and buzzed and hummed about me with
as belligerent intent as she had darted
about the jay bird. Iremained only long
enough to see that two of the tiniest OF
eggs were in the nest, and then de-
sccndcd and went away I visited the
dogwood tree daily after that, and the
frail BIRDS would gradually become ac-
customed to my presence. At nrst they
were nervous, and one or the other OF
them would dart down at me, and, hang
ing poised within a yard or so of me, in
! cnoct mo with friphtoned curiosity. ut