. Half hours with fishes, reptiles, and birds . .., .1 Fig. iqq. — Humming Bird. encouraged these atoms until they are constant visitors, winter and summer, and they often nest in the orange trees. Here at times one may see specimens of no less than six species of humming birds. On Santa Catalina and San Clemente islands a beautiful racket-tailed humming bird has been observed. These little creatures live on the minute insects theyfind in flowers, and doubtless suck some of the liquidsweets found there. At least a young humming bird,which I have tamed and which feeds from my hands, isvery fond
. Half hours with fishes, reptiles, and birds . .., .1 Fig. iqq. — Humming Bird. encouraged these atoms until they are constant visitors, winter and summer, and they often nest in the orange trees. Here at times one may see specimens of no less than six species of humming birds. On Santa Catalina and San Clemente islands a beautiful racket-tailed humming bird has been observed. These little creatures live on the minute insects theyfind in flowers, and doubtless suck some of the liquidsweets found there. At least a young humming bird,which I have tamed and which feeds from my hands, isvery fond of sweetened water. The birds in my garden spend at least half of their timeon the wing, supporting themselves in the air when weary they go to a certain limb or branch to rest,almost invariably selecting the same spot. They batheafter the fashion of other birds when water is provided, butthe rufus often prefers to bathe in the very fine sprayfrom the hose which I turn on. The little creature will 222 WOODPECKERS, CUCKOOS, Fig. 200.— Humming Birdand Nest. sometimes dart through it, displaying great pleasure anddelight. Some of these birds are so tame that I can almost touch them. The nest () is a beautiful object madeof the downy material fromseeds and of delicate moss orthe wool of sheep. I find themin orange trees, eucalyptus, andothers, and they so resemblethe color of the limb that it isalmost impossible to detectthem. Two young hummingbirds brought into the housebecame very tame; feeding from the hand, following mefrom room to room, and awakening me in the morningwith demands for food. The courtship of many of these birds is a remarkablesight. The male rises upward several hundred feet, thendives down like an arrow, making a loud humming sound,to rise again. He repeats this indefinitely for the enter-tainment of the demure female perched on a limb hard South American humming birds are beautiful beyonddescription, the metallic tints pre
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1906
