The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-07-25
BRIGHT GEMS OF BIRD LIFE
Every Movement OF the Brilliant Little Humns Bird Re-
veas New Radiant Tint.

Every Movement OF the Brilliant Little Bird
veais New and Radiant Tint.
The brilliant little hunmng birds the exquisite
birds. They he gems of They
more No gems in diadem sparkle SPARKLE They
flash with radiance and biancy
natures brightest Jewels among gaudy
flies Every change Of light movement reveals
color their ridescent feathers changing CLINT
light Oh diamond but with stronger effect in color Not
known outside OF the American
what surprise they explorers!
And they ske surprising species dscov
cred Not many years hundred and fifty species
supposed be about the NUMBER it is nearly
United States What variety of lovely forms and delicate
fantastic, eccentric freaks in feather color-ke
the tropical orchds herself
IN delightful oddities Had they been known in
the oldWord fay-ands think they must have figured
ariel sprtes quickly do they themselves,
We of the chilly north be satisfied with this
representative Of this little family and be thank
full for that and there similarity their habits
of living flying building feeding throat
must in degree, stand deputy for all his southern
brethren, whom he visits every winter the
flowers of the tropics returning in the spring He
rves Florida early in March, gradually going north the
open before him. going north passing
boundary Of
June breeding far north plains west
Missouri valley remain in
Florida.
The flight bird is more remarkable
of the eagle We can understand the Tapping of the eagles
immense wings supporting comparatively light body But
little bird has plump body his wings not wide, but
long so he must move them RAPIDLY to sustain his weight
this he do perfection. The vibrations of his
~ ne o sustain as m with his BODY as mo
tioness perched twig In this he sip the
Of the delicate flowers without aghng
for moment He never aghts while so engaged :. He
from flower to flower with graceful and rapid move
ment, sometimes chasing bee hummng moth
of which he jealous is he much favorably
impressed with small birds that in his He
knows his of flight and he has fear of other
bird. .-..-.......
The humrng- bird builds on the upper side branch
a generally the The nest is
beautifully feed with fine white vegetable down and studded
with fine hchens minute specks of bark
like branch itself They retire to secluded
places to build they are eccentric in their choice of
their nests the gardens vines they VISIT but that
the magic vibrations of the wings
and they far in few seconds.
The last nest found the outer end of branch of
poplar hung public carriage top
passed within few feet of the nestthe
last place in the world where should have expected to IND
should not have it except that
cdentally looking protrudng
nest, the long, bill that happened just then
The might have been passed hundreds of times
and been for a small unless thus betrayed
birds lay but two eggs-tiny white morsels The
young first Matched curious little things and
by inserting their bills in the mouths and threats of
their AS the food Of the parents is composed of
ones tiny stomachs.
Every year pairs live my house. there
being many especially honysucke and the trumpet
flower variety, of which they extremely fond After the
young fly the flashing ruby breast Of
the male bird having brownish-red breast
take with his brliancy laid aside till
other spring; green
before young every minutes during the
day to honeysucle for the first
weeks after leaving their they often, frequently
hanging on a vertical piece of
horizontal but two birds at
resting the alert for another
ing close the resting bird could
if attacking it, utterng few light
chrps the two would disappear like FASH quickly,
indeed that could hardly follow them; yet with
quick eye that they threaded their thru
foliage with unerring
would be but few seconds when
only to wait for another Of tag
the birds left its perch to catch small
insect and a
they less frequently to rest
fight of the hunming bird requires muscular
the yihr ationc Of WINGS
keeping the wing with rapid flight
exercised Not the least remarkable fact
Of the huning bird it's double
pointed tongue long its BILL it be
the fine insects inside
is while engaged that the humming sound Of its
wings is best heard but the must quickly turn toward
sometimes only to get the last glimpse of little
hummer.-TIenry Hales.
PROBLSM IN THREES
three houses in a