The record-union., 1898-01-06
TANNING HUMMING-BIRDS.
It is Said to be Easy When You
Know How.

My next attempt at cultivating
| friendship with a humming- bird was
with two young birds, a nest and eggs
having been discovered in my garden
The mother bird was loath to desert
the eggs when 1 approached, and read
lily submitted to the photographang pro-
cess, the plate showing the little crea-
ture sitting high on the nest, her beak
pointed slightly upward When any
one went near the tree the bird dc
not make the slightest movement, evl-
IDENTIFY relying on the protective re-
semblance which she and the nest pos
sessed to a remarkable degrees
Finally, the two eggs disappeared
and two reddish impossible creatures
took their place; bits of animation
which at the slightest movement opened
their wide and cavernous mouths for
the expected food. The little birds
which first resembled hairy spiders
more than anything else, soon obtained
their feathers, and eyed us with gentle
curiosity whenever we approached the
nest. a rich syrup of sugar and water
was now offered them, and found to be
much to their fancy. drop upon the
end of a broom splint would at once
become the target for their slender
tongues.
AS it became evident that the birds
would leave the nest in a few days,
the delicate structure was severed from
the branch and removed to the room
of one of the women Of the house, who
now undertook their education. The
little creatures almost Immediately de-
serted the nest, teking position upon
its edge, with much unsteady iuttering.
Then began the first experiments in
flying, a rapid vibration of the wings,
which merely raised the birds a few
inches above the nest. This was sue
ceeded soon after by a short excursion
into the air, following the drop Of su-
gar, taking it upon the wing from
the hand of their mistress just as they
would when feeding from a flower. Two
or three experimental days and the
birds became perfectly tame. They
would alight upon the finger or head
of their mistress, come when called,
and displayed the most artless and con-
fiding dispositions.
When the nest was taken the mother
bird made no protest-in fact, was not
seen. but she soon found her offspring.
The young birds, two days later, hav-
ing learned the use of their wings, flew
to the window that faced the orange
grove and clung to the meshes of the
screen with their tiny, delicate claws.
Their plaintive squeaking soon attract
ed the attention of the mother bird,
who hovered about the place for sew
eral days. endeavoring to reach her i'm
prisoned young, reluctantly flying away
whenever one of the household ap-
peared.
1t would be impossible to conceive
greater confidence than that displayed
by the little captives. They We're abso-
lutely without fear and courted the
closest intimacy. At night they slept
on the edge of basket in a closet in
our ROOM and every morning awak-
ened US by lowering over our faces,
uttering sharp little metallic notes;
when successful, alighting upon the ex-
tended finger, cooking their tiny heads
from side to side in an expressive de-
mand for food. At breakfast they fire.
quently flew downstairs, following their
mistress, often perching on the sugar
bowl or some convenient roost on the
table, from which they would watch the
proceedings apparently with the great
est interest. The little creatures, how
ering in the air, and feeding from our
hands, presented a charming spectacle
When called the pet bird would fly
from room to room, evidently under
standing its name, and was a constant
surprise to callers unaware of its pres
ence. A humming-bird, in the family