The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-05
HUMNIING BIRDS,
The Hummer the Only Bird That
Can Move backward While on the

Wing.
From the Philadelphia Ledger
Most of the hummers sip honey from
the flowers. Poised on wings that move
so rapidly that they appear like a semi
circle of film around their swaying bodies.
the birds insert their long beaks into the
tubes of the flowers and extract 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 in
sect from its surface, but this occurs
rarely and is not 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 bird
ling his name. One of the most wonder
full features of the hummer flight is the
birds ability to move backward while on
the wing-probably the only instance in
which a bird is able to accomplish this
feat. Mr.. Ridgway says that this move
ment 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 strik-
ing Is that of the giant hummng bird,
which flaps its wings in a SLOW leisurely
way as 1t hovers over flower, much like
the deSultory vibrations of a large but
terfy's wings. During flight its tail is con-
stantly expanded and closed like a fan
and its body is kept in an almost vertical
position, and seems to be suspended from
a central point. 1t is not to be wondered
at that the humming birds are sought for
decorative purposes. Their rich colors and
bright ornaments make them a temDtin e
prize to the lovers of gaudy fashions. Vast
numbers are slaughtered in Mexico and
South America, being killed with fine shot
or caught with nets and lime. on account
NP ,.1sfh Io~f tsoY,
are said to be on the verge of extinction
and of course, 1t will be the most beauti-
full kinds that will be exterminated first
AT a sale held in London on March 21
1888, more than 1900 hummer skins were
disposed of, and in one week 10000 hum
mers and other American birds were sold
in London at auction. A brilliant hum
mer fitting airly amid the foliage and
flowers is "a thing of beauty and a ioy
forever" on woman's bonnet such a
decoration is little short of garish. All
the cOlors Of the spectrum, with many in
termingling tints. are combined in their
plumage. so that some of them seem to be
truly kaleidoscope. One of the most
striking ornaments of many of the hum
mers is the 'gorget," as 1t is called-that
is, a cleaning throat patch of imbricated
feathers. In the common ruby throat il Is
ruby, as the name implies in several spe-
cies, like Costa's humming bird, the tips
OF the iealnelS are purple ana the DaSal
portions snow white. In others they CLEAN
in the most metallic red or violet Some
times 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.
Sull more wonderful are the crests worn
by a number OF the species. There, for in
stance is Guerin's helmet crest whose
head is surmounted by a tall, slender top
knot that looks like a miniature pyramid,
while a pointed beard of almost the same
length depends from its chin Princess
Helena's coquette has a double crest
both part running to a sharp point, maxi
ing them look like two sharp horns, while
its gorget Is decorated at its base with a
semi-eircle Of elongated feathers that
stream out like pennants. The spangled
coquette has a crest Of the finest spray