The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-09
HUMMING BIRDS.
The Hummer the Only Bird That Can
Go Backward While on the Wing.
philadelphia Ledg a.

Most of the hummers sip honey from
the movers. Poised on wings that
move so rapidly that they appear like
a semicircle of film around their sway
ing bodies, the birds Insert their long
beaks into the tubes of flowers and ex-
tract nectar with relish. 1t is true that
some Of the warblers and kinglets will
sometimes poise in this way before a
leaf and peck an insect from its sur
race but this occurs rarely, and is not
a regular habit of these birds. The
susurrus of the hummer's wings, as he
balances in the air or darts from flow
er to flower has given the birding his
name. One of the most wonderful fea-
lures of hummer flight is the bird S
ability to move backwards 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 flight, even in
the hummer family. One of the most
striking is that of the giant humming
bird, which flaps its wings in a slow
leisurely way, as it hovers over a
flower much like the desultory vibra-
tons of a large butter1y's wings. Dur
ing flight its tail is constantly expanded
anu NlOSCQ llfe d IdIl, anu us DOQY IS
kept in an almost vertical position, ara
seems to be suspended from q central
point.
1t is not to be wondered at that the
| humming birds are sought for decora-
tive purposes. Their rich colors and
| bright ornaments make them a tempt
ing prize to the lovers of gaudy fash
ions. Vast numbers are slaughtered in
Mexico and South America being killed
with fine shot or caught with nets and
| line. On account of this ruthless de-
struction, some species are said to be
| on the verge of extinction, and, of
course, it will be the most beautiful
kinds that will be exterminated first
At sale held in London on March q.
1888, more than $4,000 hummer skins
We're disposed of, and in one week 400
600 hummers and other American birds
were sold in London at auction. A bril-
| liant hummer, fitting a1rily amid the
| foliage and flowers. is "a thing of
beauty and a joy forever" On a WON
ans bonnet such a decoration is little
short of garish. All the colors of the
spectrum with many intermingled
tints, are combined in their plumage,
so that some of them seem to be truly
! Kaleidoscope. One of the most strik-
| ing ornaments of many of the hum
mers is the 'gorget," as it is called
| that is. a cleaning throat patch of i'm
| bricated feathers. In the common ruby
throat it is ruby, as the name implies
| in several species, like Costas hum
ming bird. the tips of the feathers are
purple. and the basal portions snow
white. In others they CLEAN in the most
metallic red or violet Sometimes the
| feathers of these gOrgets are elongated
| into beautiful ruff on each side of the
neck or into a bearded tuft reaching
down from the chin.
11,F Al
worn by number of the species. There,
for instance, is Guerin's helmet crest,
| whose head is surmounted by a tall,
| slender topknot that looks like a minia-
| ture pyramid, while a pointed beard of
almost the same length depends from
the chin. Princess Helenas coquette
| has a double crest, both parts running
to a sharp point making them look like
| two tiny horns, while its gorget is dec
, GRATED at it's base with a semi-circle of
elongated feathers that stream out like
remnants. The Spangled coquette has a
crest Of the finest spray spread out in
the form of a round fan, dappled with
metallic black 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 bird
vary to a degree that has no parallel
among other birds. many of the forms
assumed being also entirely unique
There are deeply forked and scissors
shaped tails, wedge shaped tails
double-rounded and double margin-
ated tails, tails with streamers of curl
GUS forms. tails with shaped
feathers, and tails whose quaint and
elaborate structure defies description
by any specific term. Several species
have long feathers that sweep around
in graceful festoons, either running
parallel or else crossing each other.
These remnants are often free of vanes,
save at the end where there is a
broad fenlike expension. In one form
these elongated APPENDICES make a
graceful double curve. and cross each
other twice. In another they bend out
ward and then turn and cross each
other near the end like two curved
swords,