Fernandez Oviedo, an author of great repute, speaks, from his ow knowledge, of the spirited conduct even of these diminutive birds, in defence of their young-ones: "When they observe any one climbing a tree in which they have a nest, they attack him in the face, attempting to strike him in the eyes; and coming, going, and returning, with almost incredible swiftness." HUMMING-BIRDS AND NEST. The Humming-Bird is seldom caught alive; a friend of M. du Pratz had, however, this pleasure. He had observed one of these birds enter the bell of a convolvulas; and, as it had quite buried itself to get at the bottom, he ran immediately to the place, closed the flower, cut it from the stalk, and carried off the bird a prisoner. He could not, however, prevail with it to eat; and it died in the course of three or four days. Carlevoix informs us, that, in Canada, he had possession of one of these birds for about twentyfour hours. It suffered itself to be handled; and even counterfeited death that it might escape. A slight frost in the night destroyed it. "My friend Captain Davis informs me," says Dr. Latham, in his Synopsis of Birds, "that he kept these birds alive for four months by the following method:-He made an exact representation of some of the tubular flowers, with paper fastened round a tobacco-pipe, and painted them of a proper color: these were placed in the order of nature, in the cage in which the little creatures were confined: the bottoms of the tubes were filled with a mixture of brown sugar and water, as often as emptied; and he had the pleasure of seeing them perform every action; for they soon grew familiar, and, though close under the eye, took their nourishment in the same manner as when ranging at large in the open air." The tongue of the Hummingbird is formed much like that of the Woodpecker, being curled round the head, under the skin, and thus capable of being darted to a considerable distance. There is a fable of a wren and an Eagle. The two birds entered into a contest respecting the height to which they could severally attain. A day was fixed, and the birds started. AT Away went the Eagle, soaring in lessening spires, until his form was lost in the clouds. But where was the wren? The Eagle had lost sight of his pigmy opponent long ago, but in his pride to show what he could do, he still soared on and on, until the lighter air would scarcely bear his weight. As he hovered with wearied and rapidly beating wings, unable to gain another yard, up sprang the wren from among the Eagle's feathers, where it had sat very comfortably all the while, and fluttered above his head with a song of triumph. But truth, as has been often said, is stranger than fiction, as appears from the fact that the Eagle can be vanished by a more insignificant foe than even the Wren, by the Humming-Bird, which is not content with a mere racing victory, but drives the Eagle before it. The Rubythroated Humming-Bird has been seen to dart between the wings of a flying Eagle, to perch upon its head, deliberately to strip off the feathers, and send them floating in a stream after the flight of the persecuted Eagle, which seemed almost driven to madness by its tiny foe. Like many other little creatures, the assurance and impudence of the Humming-bird is remarkable. It is easily tamed for that very reason, and has been known to domesticate itself in an hour from the time of its capture, and even when released, it has returned again to partake of the dainties which it had tasted during its captivity. PASSERINE BIRDS. THE birds of this order have their bills of a conical form, and pointed at the end; and the feet are formed for perching and hopping, the toes being slender and divided, with slender, bent, and sharp claws. OF THE STARE TRIBE IN GENERAL. IN the present tribe the bill is straight, and depressed. The nostrils are guarded above by a prominent rim. The tongue is hard and cloven; and the middle toe is connected to the outermost as far as the first joint. There are, belonging to this tribe, about twenty known species, some of which are found exclusively upon the Old, and others on the New Continent. They chiefly feed on insects and worms. THE STARLING. Few Birds are more generally known than the Starling. It is an inhabitant of almost all climates, and is common in every part of England. In the winter season Starlings collect in vast flocks, and may be known at a great distance by their whirling mode of flight; which M. de Buffon compares to a sort of vortex, in which the collective body performs a uniformly circular revolution, and at the same time continues to make a progressive advance. The evening is the time when Starlings assemble in the greatest numbers, and betake themselves to the fens and marches. In the fens of Lincolnshire they collect in myriads, and do great damage to the inhabitants by roosting on the reeds, (the thatch of that country,) and breaking them down by their weight. They chatter much in the evening and morning, both when they assemble and disperse. So attached are they to society, that they not only join those of their own species, but also birds of different kinds, and are frequently seen in company with Redwings, Fieldfares, and even with Owls, Jackdaws, and Pigeons. Their principal food consists of Snails, Worms, and insects: they likewise eat various kinds of grain, seeds, and fruit, and are said to be particularly fond of cherries. It is STARLING. reported of them that they get into pigeon-houses for the purpose of sucking the eggs. The female builds an artless nest of straw and small fibres, in the hollows of trees, rocks, or old walls, and sometimes in cliffs that overhang the sea. She lays four or five eggs, of a pale greenish-ash color. The Starling is a familiar bird, and in a state of captivity is easily trained. Its natural voice is strong and hoarse; but it may be taught, without difficulty, to repeat short sentences, or to whistle tunes with great exactness. In a state of confinement it will eat small pieces of raw flesh, or bread soaked in water. This well known harmless inhabitant of meadows and old fields is not only found in every part of the United States, but appears to be a resident in all the intermediate region, from the frigid latitude of 53°, and the territory of Oregon, to the mild table land of Mexico, and the tropical savannahs of Guiana. In the winter they abound in Alabama and West Florida, so that in some degree, like the Jays, and the legitimate Starlings, they partially migrate in quest of food during the severity of the weather in the colder states. It is not however improbable, but that most of the migrating families of this bird, which we find at this season, have merely travelled eastward from the cold western plains that are annually covered with snow. They are now seen in considerable numbers in and round the salt marshes, roving about in flocks of ten to thirty or more, seeking the shelter of the sea-coast, though not in such dense flocks as the true Starlings; these in the manner of our common Blackbirds assemble in winter, like dark clouds, moving as one body, and when about to descend, perform progressive circular evolutions in the air, like a phalanx in the order of battle; and when settled, blacken the earth with their numbers, as well as stun the ears with their chatter. Like crows also, they seek the shelter of reed marshes to pass the night, and in the day take the benefit of every sunny and sheltered covert. THE WATER OUZEL. The Water Ouzel is, in size, somewhat less than the Blackbird Its bill is black, and almost straight. The eyelids are white. The upper parts of the head and neck are of a deep brown; and the rest of the upper parts, the belly, the vent, and the tail, are black. The chin, the forepart of the neck, and breast, are white or yellowish. The legs are black. WATER OUZEL This bird frequents the banks of springs and brooks; and prefers those of limpid rapid, and whose bed is broken with stones and Its habits are singular. Aquatic birds, with palmated feet, swim or dive; those which inhabit the shores, wade by means of their tall legs, without wetting their body; but the Water Ouzel walks quite into the flood, following the declivity of the ground. It is observed to enter by degrees, till the water reaches its neck; and it still advances holding its head not higher than usual, though completely immersed. It continues to walk under the water: and even descends to the bottom, where it saunters as on a dry bank. The following is an account of this extraordinary habit, which was communicated by M. Herbert to M. de Buffon: "I lay concealed on the verge of the lake Nantua, in a hut formed of pine-branches and snow; where I was waiting till a boat, which was rowing on the lake, should drive some wild ducks to the water's edge. Before me was a small inlet, the bottom of which gently shelved, till the water was two or three feet deep in the middle. A Water Ouzel stopped here more than an hour, and I had full leisure to view its manoeuvres. It entered the water, disappeared, and again emerged on the other side of the inlet, which it thus repeatedly forded. It traversed the whole of the bottom, and in so doing seemed not to have changed its element, and discovered no hesitation or reluctance in the immersion. However, I perceived several times, that as often as it waded deeper than the knee, it displayed its wings, and allowed them to hang to the ground. I remarked too, that, when I could discern it at the bottom of the water, it appeared enveloped with air, which gave it a brilliant surface; like that on some sorts of beetles, which in water are always enclosed in a bubble of air. Its view in dropping its wings on entering the water, might be to confine this air; it was certainly never without some, and it seemed to quiver. These singular habits were unknown to all the sportsmen with whom I talked on the subject; and perhaps, had it not been for the accident of the snow-hut in which I was concealed, I should also have for ever remained ignorant of them; but the above facts I can aver, as the bird came quite to my feet, and that I might observe it, I refrained from killing it." |