. The illustrated natural history [microform]. Birds; Natural history; Oiseaux; Sciences naturelles. HUMMING-BIRDS. 225 iimcliiiiciy, wliil. and in dninu At once tlie thing was rijvealed to me. T canoht fiii'ud Rnhy in the very act of filistriicting a small .si);r, with the point of his hm-- beak, from tlio centre of one of tliosc hcantd'nl circular webs ol' the garden .sjiider, tliat so abound throughout the South Tlic tlung was done so daintily, that he did not stir the dew dro]is, which, now glittering in the golden sun, crowded the gossamer tracery all diamond strung. 'Hah ! we've go
. The illustrated natural history [microform]. Birds; Natural history; Oiseaux; Sciences naturelles. HUMMING-BIRDS. 225 iimcliiiiciy, wliil. and in dninu At once tlie thing was rijvealed to me. T canoht fiii'ud Rnhy in the very act of filistriicting a small .si);r, with the point of his hm-- beak, from tlio centre of one of tliosc hcantd'nl circular webs ol' the garden .sjiider, tliat so abound throughout the South Tlic tlung was done so daintily, that he did not stir the dew dro]is, which, now glittering in the golden sun, crowded the gossamer tracery all diamond strung. 'Hah ! we've got your scent, my friends ! Hah! ha! hah!' °And we clapped and dnnced in triumph. (lur presence did not 'b them in the least, and we watched them catching spiders f(ir half an hour. They frerpiently came within ten feet of our faces, and we could distinctly see them pluck the little spider from the centre of the wheel where it lies, and swallow it entire. After tins, we let them out <laily, and allhough we watched them closely, and with the most patient care, we never could see them touch the spiders a^ain until the usual interval of about a fortnight had elapsed, when they attacked them again as \ as over ; but the foray of one morning seemed to .suffice. Wo observed tlieni carefully, to ascertain whether they ate any other insect than these spiders ; but, although we l)rouglit them every variety of the smallest and most tender insects that we could tind, they (Ud not entice them at all. But if we could shut them up past the time, until they began to look droojiing, and then bring one of those little .'spiders along with other small insects, they would snap up the spider soon enough, but pay no attention to the ; The writer then proceeds to remark, as the residt of his experiments, that the chief part of their diet consists of nectar, but that they require a feed of insects at certain intervals in order to preserve them in health. He furthermore
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Keywords: ., boo, bookcentury1800, booksubjectbirds, booksubjectnaturalhistory
