The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-04-27

for concealment upon the likeness Of
their tiny houses to the surroundings
amid which they are placed A hum
mers nest always corresponds exactly in
color with the branch to which it is at
| tached. 1t may initiate knot or other
| excrescence. Thus the Calliope humming
| bird of the Western United States often
! builds on a dead pine twig. either upon
or close by cone of similar size and
hue
Usually the nests of humming birds are
cup-shaped or turpan-snaped, ana their
material is nearly always plant down.
Such down. resembling cottonwood, but
of a more delicate fiber, is gathered from
the stems of ferns and other plants.
Occasionally dandelion fuzz is mixed with
it. What is wanted for the purpose is
something very soft and ''packy'-that Is
to say, susceptible OF being felted into
a compact mass.
However, in order to give the structure
the requisite stability, these little birds
resort to a very curious and interesting
expedient. They take spiders webs, and
weave them in with the plant fuzz. Oc-
casionally they ornament the outside or
the nest with small feathers, but nearly
always they use IN their way nchens,
which they obtain by detaching them
with their beaks from the rocks, or tree
branches on which such humble plants
grow. These they fasten all over the
exterior of the tiny house with cobwebs
the idea in view being to make the nest
look as unlike a nest as possible.
In many instances the birds will pick
out a branch that is already covered with
lichens. and, building upon it q nest dIs-
guised in the manner described, Will
thereby render the latter so like unto a
part of the tree that even a watcnfui
eye would pass it by without suspicion.
The nests of huming BIRDS collected py
naturalists are usually found by care
fully watching the feathered owners
themselves. II their actions appear 20
indicate that they have started house.
keeping in the vicinity.
Anybody who has CHANGED by accident
to get spiders webs on his face or fln-5
gers will testify that they are very
sticky-so much 50, indeed, that 1t Is
hard to get rid of them. Hence much Of
their value, doubtless, for the use of hum
ming birds. which employ them not only
in weaving the bits of plant down to-
gether, but also for attaching their nests
to the objects on which they rest. By
this means the nest is usually fastened
saddle fashion to a horizontal twig or
branch.
resembling hammocks. and fasten them
with cobwebs to the faces of rocks or
cliffs. the hill stars" which dwell far
up near the snow line of the Andes, adopt
a wholly different method of construction,
their houses being very large and COM
posed of llama hair, moss, and feathers.
One of these nests is nearly as big as q
mans head, and at the top OF 1t is little
cup-shaped depression to receive the two
snow-white eggs which (no more and no
feweD humming birds invariably lay.
When the nests Of humming birds are
from leaves or tendrils they |
are commonly weighted for stability. in |
order that they may not be upset by any
passing breeze. For this purpose con- |
siderable structural addition may be made |
to the lower part. But the most remark !
able expedient adopted by certain sre- |
cies in the higher Andes. il that Of |
weighing the tiny suspended house on |
its lighter side with a pebble, to give the /
proper balance. There is no question /
whatever that this IL done, and many of |
the nests of such Species. preserved In |
collections, are found to contain pebbles. I
Perhaps the most remarkable thingi
about humming birds s.the biologic rela-
ton they bear to plants All Of them live
largely on the nectar OF flowers. and GER.
tain species are obviously specialized Tor