The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-10-26
The Humming Bird.

Poising itself on its wings as steadily as
il resting upon perch, the hummlng bifd
tnrusts its long, slender, tOrked bill to the
cotton of the flower and extracts the honey,
az well as the small insects collected there
Mingled with the emerald green OF It's ieath-
ers Is the sparkle Of cnameled gold. It's
throat is as red as a ruby, and IL critters
with a metallic lustrc, while its breast is "a
soft. grayish white. You can see nothing
of its wings except an indistinct outline OF
something in rapid motion, like the spOkcs
Of wheel.
am sorry to tell you that the disposition
Of this bird does not correspond with IT.
lovely appearance. 1t has furious ten
per. and it will sometimes tear in pieces
hower that has been the cause OF dlsap-
pointment. Although they are 50 small that
some specimens could waltz in lady Thin
bic, and the largest is only the size OF 1"
sparrow. they fight each other iiercely, ana
frequently they attack birds many times
their own size. Even the hawk has been
worried and whipped by these mites.
The naturalsts number 400 species Of the
hummng-bird but only eleven OF these Ire
quent the United States. Some owen al an
elevation of 10000 feet, in Il world Whcre
there is almost always hail, sleet ana ram;
but the most brilliant specimens are lOunu
in the tropics.
Thousands of the skins of these birds are
sent annually to Europe, where they are
used in the manufacture Of ornaments lol
ladies' hats and bOnnets, and the nuns Oh
several converts i'm Rio JaneirO are very
skilml in making the feathers into Deautl-
full flowers.
Frequent attempts have been made 10
TRANSPORT the birds across the Atlantic
ocean for avaries in Europe, but with poor
success. They have been kept alive Tor
four months on sweetened water dropped
into artificial flowers, and they must also
be provided with insect food; but they gem
orally looked wretched in cages and gradu-
ally they pine away and die.
Nearly all of the smaller birds build a
new nest every year. 1t takes them from
one day TO a month, usually "A week. To
complete il. Burroughs, the naturalist,
saws that it is an event IN ones lie 10 ma
a humming- birds nest, for they are usually
concealed carefully among the leaves.
There are specimens, however. 10 he seen
in some museums. They vary greatly IA
form ard Ornamentation, and are about the
size OF "A black walnut. \ line specimen
was composed Of vegetable shreds, catapll-
lars silk. cOcOOns, and bits OF dead wood
ferns. and leaves. These materials were
matted SO closely together that the nest was
almost as firm AS some Of the softer KINDS oil
felt. The outside was covered with lichens.
IL was marvel of skill and beauty.
some species Of the humming-bird sus-
E.and their nests from the stem OF a climb
igg olant. and others weave frail struc-
ture around IA dropping palm leaf. some
times the nests are glued to leaf.
The eggs are always TWO in number.
They are white and about as large as an
English pea. The mother bird sits ON them
for Ten or twelve days, the male taxing her
,. lace when she goes of Tor food and water.
" When first Matched the birds are the SIZE
-. mble-bees, but in week they can n.y.
~ s,, ~. ,rown some species are only three
~" II, z, with bill half tnr length ol
~ holy and they weigh less thah q
p.SeTnlnlyweight. The largest measure e'S"'
jncEes. .ood nvmnh il said 10 he
Inc prsecIted than any other species, on
noIe pc of its beautiful plumage, me
account che head and the front Oh Tue
leahers on OF the most brilliant AZURE
throat beng Is another magnificent spe-
ihe merry topaz " Is fiery scarlet, ihe
,inen. lhe poS velvet, the throat Is siu-
deao Is Inv oId ,Tith patch OF criins1" ~
, YER sntrn and the ie Nhefs % h '' crmSon
nnrnIe. with green 8. lied IL seen only
puip0, somewhat similar olru' - oe1h II
y - sunset Its nest is nn"rse hutl
ioots as if it were made Oh mol
ioother- and is shaped Ike iun that has a
eI There is large cumming bird 80 "a" 'ebrated
v.ee, odor. and Mr. J. Bell, the &c; 'c an the
s american taxidermist, discoVe req It's
Istbmus OF Panama one tnai ~ I'm me- wren,
notes are said 10 resemble mos " p,n ne"
and are exceedingly sweet any '', 40 mount.
The humming-bird mas mas si i,'g Sorty or 6lty
ing straight up mo tne 49, Tor a minute or
.ards Raising on its wings loi n'', ',,oat.
!al's al then darling down again. repe"'-
TWO, anu .nr" ny" several times In success
a aen 'nis sometimes aa score or more OF them enr
sion onan Exercising in this manner lor
, na "a " rise to the beautiful lTde eayen
una, 1%e' some mysterious and divine ms ms,
sion. and that no human manu- Mar Mary NJ
lifted 20 stop their illttinss'-""'
Friend in Philadelphia Times.