. The naturalist's library; containing scientific and popular descriptions of man, quadrupeds, birds, fishes, reptiles and insects; . eprefers the small dead twigs of a bush where he dresses and arranges hisplumage with great dexterity. He is one of the few birds that is universallybeloved. His flight from flower to flower greatly resembles that of a bee,but is infinitely more rapid. He poises himself on the wing, while he thrustshis long slender tongue into the flowers in search of food. He sometimesenters a room by the window, examines the bouquets of flowers, and passesout by the opposite d
. The naturalist's library; containing scientific and popular descriptions of man, quadrupeds, birds, fishes, reptiles and insects; . eprefers the small dead twigs of a bush where he dresses and arranges hisplumage with great dexterity. He is one of the few birds that is universallybeloved. His flight from flower to flower greatly resembles that of a bee,but is infinitely more rapid. He poises himself on the wing, while he thrustshis long slender tongue into the flowers in search of food. He sometimesenters a room by the window, examines the bouquets of flowers, and passesout by the opposite door or window. It has hitherto been supposed to sub-sist entirely on the honey which it extracts from flowers. But they areknown to feed on insects, being seen for half an hour at a time, darting atlittle groups of insects witb the dexterity of the flycatcher. The humming-bird is three inches and a half in length, and of a richgolden green color, while the feathers round his throat are black, crimson,and orange, mingled together, giving him a very brilliant appearance. 1 Trochilus colubris, Lin. A VES—HOOPOE. 563 THE Of this bird there are only two species known to Europeans, one of whichis, however, diffused over the whole of the Old Continent. It weighs abouttwelve ounces, and is twelve inches in length, the extent of its wings beingnineteen inches across. The bill is long, black, and somewhat neck is pale reddish brown; the breast and belly white; the lessercoverts of the wing light brown; the back, scapulars, and wings crossedwith black and white, the rump white, and the tail white, marked withblack in the form of a crescent. But the distinguishing character is a beau-tiful crest of about two inches high, which is of a pale orange tipped withblack, and which the bird can erect at pleasure. The food of this bird isinsects. It is a solitary bird, two of them being seldom found together. Insome places it is accounted good eating. ORDER VII. —ALCYONE S.
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, booksubjectnaturalhistory, booky
