bird neighbors- 第31部分

＇Called　also　RUBY…THROATED　HUMMINGBIRD；　AOU　1998＇

Length　　3。5　to　3。75　inches。　A　trifle　over　half　as　long　as　the　　　English　sparrow。　The　smallest　bird　we　have。　Male　　Bright　metallic　green　above；　wings　and　tail　darkest；　with　　　ruddy…purplish　reflections　and　dusky…white　tips　on　outer　　　tail　quills。　Throat　and　breast　brilliant　metallic　　red　in　one　　　light；　orange　flame　in　another；　and　dusky　orange　in　another；　　　according　as　the　light　strikes　the　plumage。　Sides　greenish；　　　underneath　lightest　gray；　with　whitish　border　outlining　the　　　brilliant　breast。　Bill　long　and　needle…like。　Female　　Without　the　brilliant　feathers　on　throat；　darker　gray　　　beneath。　Outer　tail…quills　are　banded　with　black　and　tipped　　　with　white。　Range　　Eastern　North　America；　from　northern　Canada　to　the　Gulf　　　Of　Mexico　in　summer。　Winters　in　Central　America。　Migrations　　May。　October。　Common　summer　resident。

This　smallest；　most　exquisite　and　unabashed　of　our　bird　neighbors　cannot　be　mistaken；　for　it　is　the　only　one　of　its　kin　found　east　of　the　plains　and　north　of　Florida；　although　about　four　hundred　species；　native　only　to　the　New　World；　have　been　named　by　scientists。　How　does　it　happen　that　this　little　tropical　jewel　alone　flashes　about　our　Northern　gardens？　Does　it　never　stir　the　spirit　of　adventure　and　emulation　in　the　glistening　breasts　of　its　stay…at…home　cousins　in　the　tropics　by　tales　of　luxuriant　tangles　of　honeysuckle　and　clematis　on　our　cottage　porches；　of　deep…cupped　trumpet…flowers　climbing　over　the　walls　of　old…fashioned　gardens；　where　larkspur；　narcissus；　roses；　and　phlox；　that　crowd　the　box…edged　beds；　are　more　gay　and　honey…laden　than　their　little　brains　can　picture？　Apparently　it　takes　only　the　wish　to　be　in　a　place　to　transport　one　of　these　little　fairies　either　from　the　honeysuckle　trellis　to　the　canna　bed　or　from　Yucatan　to　the　Hudson。　It　is　easy　to　see　how　to　will　and　to　fly　are　allied　in　the　minds　of　the　humming…birds；　as　they　are　in　the　Latin　tongue。　One　minute　poised　in　midair；　apparently　motionless　before　a　flower　while　draining　the　nectar　from　its　deep　cup　　though　the　humming　of　its　wings　tells　that　it　is　suspended　there　by　no　magic　　　the　next　instant　it　has　flashed　out　of　sight　as　if　a　fairy's　wand　had　made　it　suddenly　invisible。　Without　seeing　the　hummer；　it　might　be；　and　often　is；　mistaken　for　a　bee　improving　the　〃shining　hour。〃

At　evening　one　often　hears　of　a　〃humming…bird〃　going　the　rounds　of　the　garden；　but　at　this　hour　it　is　usually　the　sphinx…moth　hovering　above　the　flower…beds　　the　one　other　creature　besides　the　bee　for　which　the　bird　is　ever　mistaken。　The　postures　and　preferences　of　this　beautiful　large　moth　make　the　mistake　a　very　natural　one。

The　ruby…throat　is　strangely　fearless　and　unabashed。　It　will　dart　among　the　vines　on　the　veranda　while　the　entire　household　are　assembled　there；　and　add　its　hum　to　that　of　the　conversation　in　a　most　delightfully　neighborly　way。　Once　a　glistening　little　sprite；　quite　undaunted　by　the　size　of　an　audience　that　sat　almost　breathless　enjoying　his　beauty；　thrust　his　bill　into　one　calyx　after　another　on　a　long　sprig　of　honeysuckle　held　in　the　hand。

And　yet；　with　all　its　friendliness　　or　is　it　simply　fearlessness？　　　the　bird　is　a　desperate　duellist；　and　will　lunge　his　deadly　blade　into　the　jewelled　breast　of　an　enemy　at　the　slightest　provocation　and　quicker　than　thought。　All　the　heat　of　his　glowing　throat　seems　to　be　transferred　to　his　head　while　the　fight　continues；　sometimes　even　to　the　death　　a　cruel；　but　marvellously　beautiful　sight　as　the　glistening　birds　dart　and　tumble　about　beyond　the　range　of　peace…makers。

High　up　in　a　tree；　preferably　one　whose　knots　and　lichen…covered　excrescences　are　calculated　to　help　conceal　the　nest　that　so　cleverly　imitates　them；　the　mother　humming…bird　saddles　her　exquisite　cradle　to　a　horizontal　limb。　She　lines　it　with　plant　down；　fluffy　bits　from　cat…tails；　and　the　fronds　of　fern；　felting　the　material　into　a　circle　that　an　elm…leaf　amply　roofs　over。　Outside；　lichens　or　bits　of　bark　blend　the　nest　so　harmoniously　with　its　surroundings　that　one　may　look　long　and　thoroughly　before　discovering　it。　Two　infinitesimal；　white　eggs　tax　the　nest　accommodation　to　its　utmost。

In　the　mating　season　the　female　may　be　seen　perching　　a　posture　one　rarely　catches　her　gay　lover　in　　preening　her　dainty　but　sombre　feathers　with　ladylike　nicety。　The　young　birds　do　a　great　deal　of　perching　before　they　gain　the　marvellously　rapid　wing…motions　of　maturity；　but　they　are　ready　to　fly　within　three　weeks　after　they　are　hatched。　By　the　time　the　trumpet…vine　is　in　bloom　they　dart　and　sip　and　utter　a　shrill　little　squeak　among　the　flowers；　in　company　with　the　old　birds。

During　the　nest…building　and　incubation　the　male　bird　keeps　so　aggressively　on　the　defensive　that　he　often　betrays　to　a　hitherto　unsuspecting　intruder　the　location　of　his　home。　After　the　young　birds　have　to　be　fed　he　is　most　diligent　in　collecting　food；　that　consists　not　alone　of　the　sweet　juices　of　flowers；　as　is　popularly　supposed；　but　also　of　aphides　and　plant…lice　that　his　　proboscis…like　tongue　licks　off　the　garden　foliage　literally　like　a　streak　of　lightning。

Both　parents　feed　the　young　by　regurgitation　　a　process　disgusting　to　the　human　observer；　whose　stomach　involuntarily　revolts　at　the　sight　so　welcome　to　the　tiny；　squeaking；　hungry　birds。


RUBY…CROWNED　KINGLET　（Regulus　calendula）　Kinglet　family

Called　also：　RUBY…CROWNED　WREN；　RUBY…CROWNED　WARBLER

Length　　4。25　to　4。5　inches。　About　two　inches　smaller　than　the　　　English　sparrow。　Male　　Upper　parts　grayish　olive…green；　brighter　nearer　the　　　tail；　wings　and　tail　dusky；　edged　with　yellowish　olive。　Two　　　whitish　wing…bars。　Breast　and　underneath　light　yellowish　gray。　　　In　the　adult　male　a　vermilion　spot　on　crown　of　his　ash…gray　　　head。　Female　　Similar；　but　without　the　vermilion　crest。　Range　　North　America。　Breeds　from　northern　United　States　　　northward。　Winters　from　southern　limits　of　its　breeding　range　　　to　Central　America　and　Mexico。　Migrations　　October。　April。　Rarely　a　winter　resident　at　the　　　North。　Most　common　during　its　migrations。

A　trifle　larger　than　the　golden…crowned　kinglet；　with　a　vermilion　crest　instead　of　a　yellow　and　flame　one；　and　with　a　decided　preference　for　a　warmer　winter　climate；　and　the　ruby…crown's　chief　distinguishing　characteristics　are　told。　These　rather　confusing　relatives　would　be　less　puzzling　if　it　were　the　habit　of　either　to　keep　quiet　long　enough　to　focus　the　opera…glasses　on　their　crowns；　which　it　only　rarely　is　while　some　particularly　promising　haunt　of　insects　that　lurk　beneath　the　rough　bark　of　the　evergreens　has　to　be　thoroughly　explored。　At　all　other　times　both　kinglets　keep　up　an　incessant　fluttering　and　twinkling　among　the　twigs　and　leaves　at　the　ends　of　the　branches；　jerking　their　tiny　bodies　from　twig　to　twig　in　the　shrubbery；　hanging　head　downward；　like　a　nuthatch；　and　most　industriously　feeding　every　second　upon　the　tiny　insects　and　larvae　hidden　beneath　the　bark　and　leaves。　They　seem　to　be　the　feathered　expression　of　perpetual　motion。　And　how　dainty　and　charming　these　tiny　sprites　are！　They　are　not　at　all　shy；　you　may　approach　them　quite　close　if　you　will；　for　the　birds　are　simply　too　intent　on　their　business　to　be　concerned　with　yours。

If　a　sharp　lookout　be　kept　for　these　ruby…crowned　migrants；　that　too　often　slip　away　to　the　south　before　we　know　they　have　come；　we　notice　that　they　appear　about　a　fortnight　ahead　of　the　golden…crested　species；　since　the　mild；　soft　air　of　our　Indian　summer　is　exactly　to　their　liking。　At　this　season　there　is　nothing　in　the　bird's　〃thin；　metallic　call…note；　like　a　vibrating　wire；〃　to　indicate　that　he　is　one　of　our　finest　songsters。　But　listen　for　him　during　the　spring　migration；　when　a　love…song　is　already　ripening　in　his　tiny　throat。　What　a　volume　of　rich；　lyrical　melody　pours　from　the　Norway　spruce；　where　the　little　musician　is　simply　practising　to　perfect　the　richer；　fuller　song　that　he　sings　to　his　nesting　mate　in　the　far　north！　The　volume　is　really　tremendous；　coming　from　so　tiny　a　throat。　Those　who　have　heard　it　in　northern　Canada　describe　it　as　a　flute…like　and　mellow　warble　full　of　intricate　phrases　past　the　imitating。　Dr。　Coues　says　of　it：　〃The　kinglet's　exquisite　vocalization　defies　description。〃

Curiously　enough；　the　nest　of　this　bird；　that　is　not　at　all　rare；　has　been　discovered　only　six　times。　It　would　appear　to　be　over　large　for　the　tiny　bird；　until　we　remember　that　kinglets　are　wont　to　have　a　numerous　progeny　in　their　pensile；　globular　home。　It　is　made　of　light；　flimsy　material　　moss；　strips　of　bark；　and　plant　fibre　well　knit　together　and　closely　lined　with　feathers；　which　must　be　a　grateful　addition　to　the　babies；　where　they　are　reared　in　evergreens　in　cold；　northern　woods。


GOLDEN…CROWNED　KINGLET　（Regulus　satrapa）　Kinglet　family

Called　also：　GOLDEN…CROWNED　GOLDCREST；　FIERY　CROWNED　WREN。

Length　　4　to　4。25　inches。　About　two　inches　smaller　than　the　　　English　sparrow。　Male　　Upper　parts　grayish　olive…green；　wings　and　tail　dusky；　　　margined　with　olive…green。　Underneath　soiled　whitish。　Centre　of　　　crown　bright　orange；　bordered　by　yellow　and　en。　closed　by　black　　　line。　Cheeks　gray；　a　whitish　line　over　the　eye。　Female　　Similar；　but　centre　of　crown　lemon…yellow　and　more　　　grayish　underneath。　Range　　North　America　generally。　Breeds　from　northern　United　　　States　northward。　Winters　chiefly　from　North　Carolina　to　　　Central　America；　but　many　remain　north　all　the　year。　Migrations　　September。　April。　Chiefly　a　winter　resident　south　　　Of　Canada。

If　this　cheery　little　winter　neighbor　would　keep　quiet　long　enough；　we　might　have　a　glimpse　of　the　golden　crest　that　distinguishes　him　from　his　equally　lively　cousin；　the　ruby…crowned；　but　he　is　so　constantly　flitting　about　the　ends　of　the　twigs；　peering　at　the　bark　for　hidden　insects；　twinkling　his　wings　and　fluttering　among　the　evergreens　with　more　nervous　restlessness　than　a　vireo；　that　you　may　know　him　well　before　you　have　a　glimpse　of　his　tri…colored　crown。

When　the　autumn　foliage　is　all　aglow　with　yellow　and　flame　this　tiny　sprite　comes　out　of　the　north　where　neither　nesting　nor　moulting　could　rob　him　of　his　cheerful　spirits。　Except　the　humming…bird　and　the　winter　wren；　he　is　the　smallest　bird　we　have。　And　yet；