Evening star., 1898-09-10
FLjT AMONG THE FLOWERS
Rich Colors of the Humming Birds Make
Them Very Attractive.
Are Able to Fly Backward Their
Beautiful Crests-Varied and
Wonderful Tails.
From the Philadelphia Ledger.

From the Philadelphia Ledger
Most Of The hummers sip honey from the
flowers. Poised on wings that move SO
rapidly that they appear like semicircle
Of film around their swaying bodies, the
birds insert their long beaks into the tubes
of flowers and extract nectar with relish.
1t is true that some of the warblers and
kinglets will sometimes poise in this way
before leaf and peck an insect from its
surface. but this occurs rarely, and 1t is
not a regular habit of these birds. The
susurrus of the hummer's wings, as he
balances in the air or darts from flower to
flower, has given the birding his name.
One Of the most wonderful, features of
hummer flight is the birds ability to move
backward while on the wing-probably the
only instance in which bird is able to
accomplish this feat. Mr.. Ridgway says
that this movement is greatly assisted by
a forward flirt of the birds expanded tail.
There are, however, a few exceptions to
this rapid manner of fight, even in the
hummer family One of the most striking
Is that of the giant humming bird, which
1t hovers over flower, much like the des-
uitory vibrations Of a large butterfiy's S
wings. During flight its tail is constantly
expanded and closed like a fan, and its
body Is kept in an almost vertical position
and seems to be suspended from central
point.
1t is not to be wondered at that the hum
ming birds e sought for decorative pur-
poses. Their rich colors and bright orna-
ments make them tempting prize to the
lovers of gaudy fashions. Vast numbers
are slaughtered in Mexico and South Amer
lea, being killed with fine shot or caught
with nets and line. On account of this
ruthless destruction, some species are said
to be on Il t verge of extinction, and
of course, it will be the most beautiful
kinds that will be exterminated first. At
in 7 Md 81
more than 1900 hummer skins were dis
posed of, and in one week 100000 hummers
and other American birds were sold in Lon
don at auction. brilliant hummer, fit
ting airily amid the foliage and flowers,
is "a thing of beauty and a Joy forever"
On womanS bonnet such decoration is
little short of garish. All the colors of the
spectrum, with many tntermingled tints
are combined in their plumage so that
some of them seem to be truly kaleido-
scopic. One of the most striking orna-
ments of many of the hummers is the "gor-
get as it is 2alled-that is, a cleaning
throat patch of imbricated feathers. In the
common ruby throat it is ruby, as the name
implies; in several species, like Costa's hum
ming bird, the tips of the feathers,are pur-
pie, and the basal portions snow white In
others they gleam in the most metallic red
or violet. Sometimes the feathers of these
gorgets are elongated into a beautiful ruff
on each side of the neck or into a bearded
tuft reaching down from the chin.
Still more wonderful are the crests worn
by number of the species. There. for
instance, is Guern's helmet crest, whose
head is surmounted by a tall slender top
knot that looks like miniature pyramid
While a pointed beard of almost the same
length depends from its chin. Princess
Helena's coGuette has a double crest, both
parts running to 4 sharp point, making
them look like two tiny horns while it's
gorget is decorated at its base with semi
circle of elongated feathers that stream out
like pennants. The spangled coquette has
a crest of the hnest spray spread out in
the form of , round fan, dappled with me-
tallfc back spots.
No less varied and wonderful are the
tails of the hummers. Robert Ridgway
says: The shape and development of the
tail feathers of the humming birds vary
to a degree that has no parallel among
other birds many of the forms assumed
being also entirely unique. There are deep
ly forked and scissorshaped tails. wedge
shaped .ais, double-rounded and double
emarginated tails, tails with streamers of
curious forms. tails with racket-shaped
feathers. anG tails whose quaint and elab-
crate structure defies description by any
specific term Several species have long
feathers that sweep around in graceful fes-
toons either running parallel or else cross
ing each other. These peunants are often
free of vanes. save at the end, where there
Is broad, fanlike expansion. In one form
these elongated appenGages make grace
ful double curve, and cross each other
twice. In another they bend outward and
then turn and cross each other near the
end like two curved swords"