. The bird; its form and function . Fig. 125.—Moth and Hummingbird. Both half natural size. fruit of the syringa-tree, on which they sometimes gorgethemselves until they are no longer capable of flight, . .affected by some narcotic property of the berry itself. This state of semi-intoxication is by no means rareamong fruit-eating birds, when over-ripe or fermentedfruit is abundant. 164 The Bird The great extent to which all the external organsand parts of birds are adapted to facilitate the obtain-ing of food is evident in every species; but in humming-birds this adaptation is especially appar
. The bird; its form and function . Fig. 125.—Moth and Hummingbird. Both half natural size. fruit of the syringa-tree, on which they sometimes gorgethemselves until they are no longer capable of flight, . .affected by some narcotic property of the berry itself. This state of semi-intoxication is by no means rareamong fruit-eating birds, when over-ripe or fermentedfruit is abundant. 164 The Bird The great extent to which all the external organsand parts of birds are adapted to facilitate the obtain-ing of food is evident in every species; but in humming-birds this adaptation is especially apparent, because wecan compare these feathered mites with other creaturesfar beneath them structurally, but with feeding habitsand general environment so similar that such a com-parison is fraught with interest. These other creaturesto which I refer are hummingbird moths. Again andagain collectors have shot the moths, mistaking themfor hummingbirds, as the manner of flight is the samein both, and the way in which each species poise
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1906
