restlessness did not permit me to gratify my desire for a lengthened observation, and after vainly
waiting for some time in the hope of its returning, I continued my walk under the high trees to another
part of the grounds, where I was again gratified by seeing my little friend dart off from within a few
feet of me : in this shady retreat it passed from shrub to shrub, now and then perching on some bare twi«-
to rest in a state of quietude, or to preen its wings before again darting off to examine the flowers on the
more lofty branches. The almost total absence of Humming-birds around Philadelphia proved to me that
I was still too early for them, the lateness of the season of 1857 having retarded their movement, and
the regularity of their arrival being evidently dependent upon the state of the trees and consequent supply
of food; I therefore determined to proceed farther south to Washington, where, in the gardens of the
Capitol, I had the pleasure of meeting with them in great numbers: in lieu, then, of the single individual in
Bartram’s garden,. I was now gratified by the sight of from fifty to sixty on a single tree, and had an ample
opportunity of observing these living gems, and of noticing their extraordinary movements and aerial evolutions
to my heart’s content. They were more amicably disposed than they are usually said to be. Disporting
round the reddish flowers of a species of chestnut termed Buck-eye, both males and females were
busily engaged in examining the blossoms, ever and anon retiring to some shady branches for the purpose
of rest or to plume themselves. To say that these birds, of which several hundreds were to be seen within
the area of as many yards, were in this instance not amicably disposed towards each other, would be
untrue; a little brush now and then, and an occasional tilting-match between two males, certainly did
occur, but the greater number were evidently too much occupied in the search for food to waste time in
fighting. I suspect that the pugnacity of the males so graphically described by Wilson principally occurs
during the breeding season, when their fury is said to have no bounds. My scientific friend Dr. Baird,
who was with me at the time, will, I am sure, confirm what I have said with regard to the numbers seen 011
this occasion.
Having now observed the bird in a state of nature, my next object was to obtain living examples for more
close examination, and through the kindness of Baron Osten-Sacken, the nephew of the great General, a
member of the Rnssian diplomatic corps at Washington, and an excellent entomologist, a specimen was
soon procured for me in one of the conservatories of the city, and great was my delight in taking possession
of the little captive. A small insect gauze net, about six inches in diameter, distended by a light
hoop, was soon manufactured for its reception, and, although sadly buffeted about, the bird, within an hour
of its capture, readily took sugar and water from a spoon held in the hand: this boldness led me to hope
that it would soon become familiarized with its little domicile. I accordingly suspended it from a button
of my coat, and carried it about with me wherever I went, offering it every half-hour a small bottle filled with
sugar and water, into which it thrust its long bill through the gauze bag, and pumped up the fluid through its
more lengthened tubular tongue. In this way it travelled with me for two days across the Alleghany Mountains,
and would doubtless have continued to do well, had I not, at the end of a dusty and tremendously
jolting ride, given it a bath to free it from the dirt which had accumulated on its tail and wings during the
journey, from the effects of which it sickened and died. In recording my obligations to Baron Osten-Sacken,
it must not be supposed that I am unmindful of the attentions rendered me with the same object by every
one at Washington, including His Excellency the President, our own minister, Lord Napier, Mr. Russell,
and others.
A few days’ travelling by way of Ohio and Lake Erie brought me to Canada. At the •• Falls ” the
Hummers had but just arrived, and only a few males were to be seen ; at Toronto they were still fewer
in number. At one p .m. on the 5th of June, when passing down the St. Lawrence, I observed a fine male
cross the bows of the vessel from the southern to the northern shore near the Long Sault Rapid; it was
evidently migrating. In the garden of G. C. Tunstall, Esq., opposite St. Ann’s Rapids, Bout-de-l'Ile,
near Montreal, rendered classical by Moore’s well-known Canadian Boat-song, the Humming-birds on
the 8th of June were very abundant, even flitting about the lilac trees which overshadowed the porch at
the house where, Mrs. Tunstall informed me, Moore sat and composed his celebrated song; and I feel that
I should be wanting in courtesy were I not thus publicly to acknowledge my obligations to this kind lady
for permission to shoot two of these little tenants of her garden, which, when informed they were required
for a scientific purpose, she readily accorded; bnt at the same time assured me that on no other account
would she have allowed one of these little wanderers to be destroyed, for they were by her both cherished
and beloved.
Haring accomplished all that I could expect to do, during so short a visit, with regard to observing the
Trochdw Colubns in a state of nature, a strong desire prompted me to attempt the bringing of living
examples across the Atlantic; and upon this desire becoming known to Sidney Augustus Scbiefflin, Esq
of Madison Square, New York, that gentleman very obligingly presented me with a pair, male and female
then living ,n his house, in perfect health, in the finest state of plumage. My greatest anxiety was to get
them past the Banks of Newfoundland in safety, where the thermometer frequently falls below the freezing-
point. Through the kindness of Captain Shannon, who afforded me every facility, this was achieved, and
they reached the shores of England ; one of them, however, unfortunately died as we came up the Channel;
the other reached London, and lived for two days at my house in Broad Street. During the voyage
they were fed with syrup made of sugar and water, with the trifling addition of the yelk of an unboiled
egg as a substitute for their animal food.
“ The Humming-bird,” says Wilson, “ makes its first appearance in Georgia, from the south, about the
23rd of March, two weeks earlier than it does in the county of Burke, sixty miles higher up the country
towards the interior, and at least five weeks sooner than it reaches this part of Pennsylvania. As it passes
on to the northward, as far as the interior of Canada, where it is seen in great numbers, the wonder is
excited, how so feebly constructed and delicate a little creature can make its way over such extensive regions
of lakes and forests, among so many enemies, all its superiors in strength and magnitude. But its very
minuteness, the rapidity of its flight, which almost eludes the eye, and that admirable - instinct, reason, or
whatever else it may be called, and daring courage which Heaven has implanted in its bosom, are its guides
and protectors.
“ About the 25th of April, the Humming-bird usually arrives in Pennsylvania, and about the 10th of
May begins to build its nest. This is generally fixed on the upper side of a horizontal branch—not among
the twigs, but on the body of the branch itself. Yet I have known instances where it was attached by the
side to an old moss-grown trunk, and others where it was fastened on a strong rank stalk or weed in the
garden, but these cases are rare. In the woods, it very often chooses a white-oak sapling to build on ; and
in the orchard or garden, selects a pear-tree for that purpose. The branch is seldom more than ten feet
from the ground. The nest is about an inch in diameter, and as much in depth. A very complete one is
now lying before me, and the materials of which it is composed are as follows :—The outward coat is formed
of a small species of bluish-grey lichen that vegetates on old trees and fences, thickly glued on with the saliva
of the bird, giving firmness and consistency to the whole, as well as keeping out moisture. Within this
are thick-matted layers of the fine wings of certain flying seeds, closely laid together; and, lastly, the
downy substance from the great mullein, and from the stalks of the common fern, lines the whole. The
base of the nest is continued round the stem of the branch, to which it closely adheres, and, when
viewed from below, appears a mere mossy knot or accidental protuberance. The eggs are two, pure
white, and of equal thickness at both ends On a person’s approaching their nest, the little proprietors
dart around with a humming sound, passing within a few inches of one’s head ; and should the
young be newly hatched, the female will resume her place on the nest, even while you stand within a yard
or two of the spot. The precise period of incubation I am unable to give ; but the young are in the habit,
a short time before they leave the nest, of thrusting their bills into the mouths of their parents, and sucking
what they have brought them. I never could perceive that they carried them any animal food, though I
think it highly probable that they do. As I have found their nests as late as the 12th of July, I do not doubt
but that they frequently, and perhaps usually, raise two broods in the same season.
“ The Humming-bird is extremely fond of tubular flowers, and I have often stopt with pleasure to observe
his manoeuvres among the blossoms of the Trumpet-flower. When arrived before a thicket of these that are
full-blown, he poises or suspends himself on wing for the space of two or three seconds, so steadily that
his wings become invisible, or only like a mist, and you can plainly distinguish the pupil of his eye looking
round with great quickness and circumspection : the glossy golden green of his back and the fire of his
throat, dazzling in the sun, form altogether a most interesting appearance. When he alights, which he
frequently does, he always prefers the small dead twigs of a tree or bush where he dresses and arranges his
plumao-e with great dexterity. His only note is a single chirp, not louder than that of a ^ a ll cricket
Grasshopper, generally uttered while passing from flower to flower, or when engaged m fight with h.s fellows ;
® , i the same bush or flower, a battle instantly takes place, and the combatants
"d in darting and circling round each other, till the eye is no longer able to follow them.
Th however generally returns to the place to reap the fruits of h.s victory. I have seen him
The conqueror, ho , g 1 M him,, in his turn, assaulted by a
attack and for a g g M of those few birds that are universally beloved ; and
“ r X r X o ? * — — S’ appearance among the arbours o f honeysuckles
and beds of flowers is truly ,ntereStl“f; f „ d ;f , deprived of the animating influence of the
.. This little bird is extremely suseeptibhi of coId, a n d ^ g j ^ ^ ¡ g ^ I ^ ^ ^ W M
sunbeams, droops, and soon. die ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ for some ^ (he weather being
and placed n, a retired shade p ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ seeming, y torpid state tor a whole forenoon. No
uncommonly cool, it d un g y ■ ^ on ,he d o se st ;nspection, though at other times this is
motion whatever o f the lungs could p toucheil by the finger, it gave no signs o f life or
remarkably observable ; the eyes were s u , , ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ¡n a shcltered situa.
motion. I carried it out to the open air p ^ ^ ^ b|rd breathed fa8ter and faster, opened its
tion. In a few seconds, respiration he j î W ^ ^ A f c r ;t had completely recovered,
1 withered top o f a pear-tree, where it sat for some time dressing
its disordered plumage, and then shot offTikei a “ ^ » » ^ resembles that o f a bee, but is so much
“ The flight o f the Humming-bird fr ^ ^ s h;mself on ^ while h c ,hrusts
more rapid, that the latter appears a »' ^ food He somet;m es entcrs a room by the
his long, slender, tubular oat b the opposite door or window H e has been
window, examines the bouquets o f flowers, an p | ^ g0 rcgldarly out g the m0rnmg,
known to take refuge in a hothouse » h e coo g
aud to return as regularly in the evening, for several y