. The American natural history : a foundation of useful knowledge of the higher animals of North America . Natural history. THE SWIFTS AND HUMMING-BIRDS 209 As the bird poises in mid-air, the sunlight catches the patch of brilliant ruby-red feathers on its throat, and sets it aflame. To make up for their diminutive size, and give them a fair share of beauty, Nature has clothed the throats and. RUBY-THROATED HUMMING-BIRD. breasts of many Humming-Birds with feather- patches of the most brilliantly iridescent colors,— ruby-red, scarlet, green, blue and gold,—which flash like jewels. Others again
. The American natural history : a foundation of useful knowledge of the higher animals of North America . Natural history. THE SWIFTS AND HUMMING-BIRDS 209 As the bird poises in mid-air, the sunlight catches the patch of brilliant ruby-red feathers on its throat, and sets it aflame. To make up for their diminutive size, and give them a fair share of beauty, Nature has clothed the throats and. RUBY-THROATED HUMMING-BIRD. breasts of many Humming-Birds with feather- patches of the most brilliantly iridescent colors,— ruby-red, scarlet, green, blue and gold,—which flash like jewels. Others again have long, orna- mental tail-feathers, ruffs, and other showy deco- rations in feathers. The Humming-Birds are so very diminutive one never ceases to wonder how such frail and delicate creatures, feeding only upon the small- est insects and the nectar of flowers, can make long journeys over this rough and dangerous earth, withstand storms, build their wonderful little nests, rear their young, and migrate south- ward again without being destroyed. Of course their diminutive size enables them to escape the attention of most of the living enemies which gladly would destroy them. The nest of a Humming-Bird is about as large in diameter as a lady's watch, and the eggs, of which there are two, are the size of adult peas. The food of these birds generally consists of minute insects, many of which they find in large flowers. When at rest, perching, the average Hummer is not beautiful in form. Its head seems too large, its neck and body much too short, and its wings too long. It seems top* heavy, and as if destitute of legs. It is on the wing that these creatures look their best. What Humming-Birds lack in size, they try to make up in number. There are nearly five hundred species, and they are found only in the New World. They are thoroughly tropical, but in warm weather, and the season of flowers, they migrate as far north as Alaska, and as far south as Patagonia. Our country makes
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