Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1899-09-23
THE RUNNING BIRD
THE ONLY BIRD THAT CAN GO BACK
WARD WHILE ON THE WING.

During Flight its Tail is Constantly Ex
panded and Closed Like "a Fan and It'll
Body is Kept in an Almost Vertical
Position.
Most of the hummers sip honey from
the flowers. Poised on wings that move
so rapidly that they appear like semi
circle 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 some
of tn warblr shrdluntaoin shrdluncf
times poise in this way before leaf and
peck an insect from it's surface, but this
occurs rarely, and it 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 birding his name. One OF
the most wonderful features of hummer
flight is the birds ability to move back
ward 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 as
sisted by a forward fiirt of the bird s
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 flower
much like the desultory vibrations of a
large butterfly's wings. During flight
its tail is constantly expanded and
closed like fan, and it's 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 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 exterminatedS first.
At sale held in London on March q,
1888, more than 10000 hummer skins
were disposed of and in one week
100000 hummers and other American
birds were sold in London at auction.
A brilliant hummer fitting airily amid
the foliage and flowers, is "a thing Of
beauty and a joy forever" On a
woman's bonnet such a decoration is
of the spectrum, with many inter-
mingled 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 hummers is the ''gorget," as it Isl
is. cleaning throat patch
of intoxicated feathers. In the common
ruby throat it is ruby, as the name i'm
plies; in several species, like Costas
humming 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 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 a number of the species. There
for instance, is Guerin's helmet crest,
whose head is surmounted by a tall,
slender top-knot that looks like mini
ature pyramid, while pointed beard of
almost the same length depends from
its chin. Princess Helena's coquette has
sharp point, making them look like two
tiny horns, while it's gorget is decor
ated at it's base with a semi-circie of
elongated feathers that stream out like
pennants. 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 birds
vary to degree that has no parallel
among other birds, many of the forms
assumed being also entirely unique.
There are deeply forked and scissor
shaped tails, Wedge-shaped tails, double |
'ounded and double emarginated tails,
.ails and streamers of curious forms, |
ails with raquette-shaped feathers and |
a1ls whose quaint and elaborate struc-
,ure defies description by any specific |
ERIN. Several species have long |
feathers that sweeT around in graceful
estoons, either rureing parallel or else
rossing h%gh other. These pepnants are
often free of vanes, save at the end, |
where there is a broad, fanlike expan-
ion. In one form these elongated ap-
'endages make graceful double curve
md cross each other twice
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