The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-10-18
TWO HUMMING BIRDS,
A Tale of Two Tiny Families and Their
Fate.


Fate.
From the Cornhill Magazine.
L used to feel very envious when some of
the older residents would speak of these
Trinidad botanical gardens as having
been the home of the humming bird,
Alas! the lovely little creatures are sell
dom to be seen there now, in spite of the
protective legislation of many years past.
But the ruthless tourist will always buy
humming birds nest, especially with its
Two sugar-plum-like EGGS in it, so the
enterprising black boy keeps a sharp look
out Tor these articles of commerce. Soon
alter We first went there l found a wee
nest on low branch of tree close to
government house, with a darling little
bird sitting in it. / peeped cautiously very
often during the next few days, and the
young mother grew so accustomed to nv
visits that she would let me stand within
yard of the Dough. At last some micro
scopic fragments of eggshell appeared on
the moss beneath. and on my next visit,
wnen the little hen was away getting
food, l beheld n thing very like a bee
with beak. This object seemed to grow
amazingly ever few hours, so that in a
week 1t looked quite like respectable
bird. Imagine my rage and despair when
l found one morning the branch broken
off and the baby bird dead on the ground
My sweet little nest had been taken for
next-time tourist-laden yacht came in!
A much happier fate attended hum
ming bird which built its nest in a small
palm growing in a friends drawing room,
l paid many visits to that drawing room
during the birds occupancy and anything
so interesting as its manners and customs
cannot be imagined. Instead of bringing
material from outside for the nest, the
tiny builder reQuistioned the floss silk
from an embroidered cushion and the
wool from ball fringe. The nest, unus-
ually gay in color. hung down a couple
OF inches from one of the serrated points
of the palm leaf but when | was first
invited to come and look at it it was not
quite completed to the feathered lady's
satisfaction. for she still darted in and
out of the open windows and about the
room.
The master of the house. at my request.
seated himself in his usual armchair and
opened his newspaper. and I made my
self as small as [ could in distant cor
ner. Our patience was soon rewarded. for
there was the little bird balancing itself
with its vibrating wings Just above the
newspaper. however, as no building ma
terial was forthcoming from that source.
she Mashed over to my corner, and quick
er than the eye could follow. had snatch
ed threat of silk from a work-tab BILE, and
was off to her work again. The little
creature got quite tame, and her conf
dence was well placed, for nothing could
exceed the charming kindness of her host
and hostess. The eggs were laid and
Matched in due time, and the master of
the house told me he used to get up at
the day-dawn and open his drawing
room window to let the little mother out
to get food for her babies. This necessi-
tated his remaining the rest of the morn
ing in the darwing room, as he said it
would not have been safe to have left it.
l naturally thought he feared for the
safety of his wife's pretty things, but OH
no-what he guarded was the nest lest il
should meet the fate of mine and be
stolen.