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INTRODUCTION.

; t I silve I 1s now
¢ <— I S 1 1 \— V ers flow er to flower to sIp the silver de aise

rald— E ‘shed gold! It would be arrogant to pretend to
a ruby—now a topaz—now an emerald—now all burnis g

i is Wl > : 0" escription of it.
describe this winged gem of nature after Buffon’s elegant d Pp

i i P s vou would wish to know somethin
« Cayenne and Demerara produce the same Humming-Birds. Perhaps yot g

Chiefly in the months of July and August, the tree called Bois Immortel, very common in

of their haunts. oy
for some weeks ; then it is that most

Demerara, bears abundance of red blossom, which stays on the tree

of the species of Humming-Birds are very plentiful. The wild Red Sage (Salvia splendens) 1s also their
favourite shrub: and they buzz like bees round the blossoms of the Wallaba-tree ; indeed there is scarce a

c

flower in the interior, or on the sea-coast, but what receives frequent visits from one or other of the

species.

“On entering the forests of the rising land in the interior, the blue and green, the smallest brown, no
bigger than the humble-bee, with two long feathers in the tail, and the little forked-tail purple-throated

Humming-Birds glitter before you in ever-changing attitudes.

*« As you advance towards the mountains of Demerara, other species of Humming-Birds present themselves
before you. It seems to be an erroneous opinion that the Humming-Bird lives entirely on honey-dew.
Almost every flower of the tropical climate contains insects of one kind or other: now the Humming-Bird
is most busy about the flowers an hour or two after sunrise, and after a shower of rain ; and it is just at this
time that the insects come out to the edge of the flower, in order that the sun’s rays may dry the nocturnal
dew and rain which they have received. On opening the stomach of the Humming-Bird, dead insects are

almost always found there.”

“The Humming-Birds in Jamaica,” says Lady Emmeline Stuart Wortley in her Travels, ‘ are lovely little
creatures, and most wonderfully tame and fearless of the approach of man. One of these charming feathered
jewels had built its delicate nest close to one of the walks of the garden belonging to the house where we were
staying. The branch, indeed, of the beautiful shrub in which this fairy nest was suspended almost intruded
into the walk ; and every time we sauntered by, there was much danger of sweeping against this projecting
branch with its precious charge, and doing it some injury, as very little would have demolished the exquisite
fabric. In process of time, two lovely pear-like eggs had appeared ; and while we were there we had the
great pleasure of seeing the minute living gems themselves appear, looking like two very small bees. The
mother-bird allowed us to look closely at her in the nest, and inspect her little nurslings, when she was
flying about near, without appearing in the least degree disconcerted or alarmed. I never saw so tame or so
bold a pet. But she did not allow the same liberties to be taken by everybody unchecked. One day, as
Sir C. was walking in the pretty path beside which the fragile nest was delicately suspended amid
sheltering leaves, he paused in order to look at its Lilliputian inhabitants. While thus engaged, he felt

uddenly a sharp light rapping on the crown of his hat, which considerably surprised him. He looked round
to ascertain from whence the singular and unexpected

 

attack proceeded : but nothing was to be seen.

| ave 2

rat-tat-tat-tat-tat s ; me ; : :
rat-tat-tat-tat-tat seemed to demand his immediate attention, anda little to jeopardize the perfect integrity and

oreservation of the fabric j ; = :
: aeric in question. Again he looked round, far from pleased at such extraordinary imper-

’ see bu , 7; >

. ithout a further infliction of sharp taps and admonitory
raps from her fairy beak. She ced lik
| y beak. She looked like

a little fury in miniature—a winged Xantippe. Those pointed

 

     
   
  
 
   
 
 
   
    
  
 
 
   
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
   
  
  
   
   
  
  
   
    

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