. Boys and birds; or, Miss Truat's mission . Fig. 69.—Lyre Bird. this drawing of the bird you will observe nothingof the wren about it, but will, no doubt, admire itsmagnificent tail, vieing with the birds of paradise insplendor of plumage. Following the descending scale as to size, butthe ascending as to marvelous splendor of plumageand daintiness of form, we come to the family ofHumming-birds, an order wholly confined to theNew World. Nearly five hundred varieties of theselittle feathered gems have been classified, only abouthalf a dozen of which arc found in the Uniteditli America and the W
. Boys and birds; or, Miss Truat's mission . Fig. 69.—Lyre Bird. this drawing of the bird you will observe nothingof the wren about it, but will, no doubt, admire itsmagnificent tail, vieing with the birds of paradise insplendor of plumage. Following the descending scale as to size, butthe ascending as to marvelous splendor of plumageand daintiness of form, we come to the family ofHumming-birds, an order wholly confined to theNew World. Nearly five hundred varieties of theselittle feathered gems have been classified, only abouthalf a dozen of which arc found in the Uniteditli America and the West Indies are the 292 BOYS AND BIRDS. countries where the numbers and glories of the orderculminate. None of the humming-birds are largerthan a ladys thumb, while the Vervain Hum-ming-bird of Jamaica is the tiniest feathered crea-ture known, not being larger than a humble-bee.(Fig. 70.). Fig. 70.— Vervain Humming-birds, This wee feathered mite is not only celebrated forits beauty and tiny proportions, but also as the onlymember of the family gifted with any vocal this fact we have a striking proof of Gods super-intendence and wisdom in the bestowal of his he has given great beauty of plumage hehas denied the capacity of song, and bestowed it BOYS AND BIRDS. 293 upon the plainer races of thrushes, sparrows, andtheir kindred. In viewing the large varieties of humming-birdswe can hardly conceive of any daintiness of form,splendor and brilliancy of color, or gracefulness ofmotion that do not find their ideals in the make-upand movements of these marvels of creation. Theirbills are like needles, straight, curved, or hooked ;their colors sparkling, varied, and brilliant as a col-lection of the rarest gems; their motions when dart-ing away with the hum and directness of a bullet,or hanging over the cup of a flower, with wingsmoving so rapidly as to se
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1874
