The Coolidge examiner., 1934-06-01

- hummiug bird family are the
L n t.n.est % birds. they belong
% a huge family. There are as
known species 81 humminE birds
and there are lt0 or more addition
nl sub species or geographic races.
making q total % more than COO
recognized kinds
They are found only In the Sew
world. where they range from the
Strait 81 Magellan % canada and
Alaska. constituting "ar - the most
brilliantly colored and specialized
families % birds found Ia th.s vast
region.
The family Is most abundant. as
regards species. near the Equator.
10 the Andean region % South
America The Republlc Of Ecuador
has i4s kinds of hummcrs and Col
III ia i05 known forms
In passing north and south from
these ceniers of maximum ahun-
dance. species become fewer: 80
that IN North America north ~ Mex.
loo tbui Including Lower Callfor.
nlal only IG kinds % hummlng birds
are found regularly. while three
others nay come casually within
these limits
In the United States hummlnE
birds are found In greatest variety
IN the Southwest. only one species.
the ruby.throat. ranging east Of the
MisslsslppI river.
The mountain meadows % our
southwestern states in midsummer.
when their rich assortmenis of ilow-
ers are IN bloom. frequently swarm
with hummlng birds of a number
of species feeding on the blossoms
and pursuing one another pugua.
clously In pure exuherancc OF life.
I, is under such circumstances that
these sprighIly birds appear at
their best. and one never tires of
watching them.
Hummlng birds are most abun-
dnnt tn regions where there are
thlckeis of other woodland inter
spcrsed with meadows and openings
where the birds may feed and dis.
port themselves In the sunshine.
Some kinds are inhabitants of
heavy forests. these being found
mainly In tropical regions. where
certain species have become adapt
- - ffsa q. -. A-~sm. ~eF~ sm--.a
lnhahi;ant Of Dense Forests.
The emerald hummlng bird %
Haiti and the Dominican republic
lives in the densest Of forest
growths. where the vegetation drips
constantly with water from the
daily rains. and comes only occa-
slonally into little openings 10 feed
AZ flowers Its deep green coiora-
tlon blends with iis forest back
ground. So that often the subdned
humminE of its wings. as u moves
among the branches. may be heard
Tor some time before one can dis
tlngulsh the form Of the bird In
the somher shadows.
An existence Of such type Is In
strong contrast 10 that OF the beau
tlfuI long-talled Sappho hummer
that Is found In the Andean foot
hills OF western Argentina. living In
open valleys grown with low creo-
sn,e bush. where the birds are con-
sfantly found In the open.
The majority OF hummers are
characterized by gllttering reiiec-
tions from their plumage. and as n
general rule the males are more
brilliant than the females.
The hues OF the plumage are fri
descent and are caused by the re-
fraction OF light on close exam
ination Of the feather of a bird. Il
Is found TO be composed OF many
fine filamentS which under the
microscope are seen 10 be divided
into stIll finer divisions. In the
shining feathers OF hummers. there
Is an abundance OF dark pigment In
the tiny feather divisions known as
hlrbules. The sheath overlying
this pigment Is either smooth and
highly polished or has many NIL
uute lines on or under its surface
This structure causes reflection
or a refractIon Of the light. accord
ing 10 the circumstance. making the
brilliant hues found In these birds.
As for form. the variation among
hummers Is truly astonishing. The
smallest bird In the world is Hele-
mas humming bird of Cuba, from
two and one-fourth to two and one
half inches or trifie more In
length. with the wing only one and
one-thIrd inches long or less and
the bin less than half an inch long.
This tiny sprltc is sometimes
called the fairy hummer. In con
trast 20 IL. there is the giant hum
nier of the central and southern An
dean mountains that is about eight
anG one-half inches in length and
has wing five inches long. This
species Is as large in body as a
bluehlrd and Is stron: and power
full. resembling a large swift In
general appearance.