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CHAPTER III—Continued
Nance colored a little, something
which did not escape the -shrewd
old eyes.
“She—well, she said Jack was
too impressionable. I guess she
thought work on a ranch—going
'round all day with rough men and
boys would—would spoil his man
ners.”
Cousin Columbine stiffened.
“Did she, li ‘
about yourselfl
" These frank
disconcerting; but the girl said
honestly: “She thought I’d be
homesick, and I dare say she's
right; but as Mother pointed out,
things wouldn't be very thrilling at
Edgemere. You see, I’ve always
spent winters In the city; and this
year . . ."
“Well?” prodded the old lady, as
she paused.
“I only mean,” Nance hesitated,
thinking It might sound foolish to
an Inhabitant of Pine Ridge, Colo
rado, “that If Dad hadn’t lost his
money I’d have made my debut this
winter."
"Well, his losses saved you from
that, anyway," was the brusque re
ply. “Here come the boys at last.
Mark Adams, did you can those
peaches yourself? You’ve been gone
long enough.”
"Not only canned, but picked ’em,”
be retorted. “Why didn't you let
Matt cart this stuff. Miss Colum
bine? I’ll have to tie It on the run
ning board.”
“You'll do no such thing I Put
It right In here and I’ll set my feet
on It There! I’m comfortable as
can be. Truth Is, I Intended ask
ing Matthew to get this box, but It
slipped my mind when I saw he was
in such a hurry to get away from
ns. Did you boys have a soda at
the drug store? You must have
been somewhere this twenty mln
ntes?”
“It was only polite for - me to
give your company a treat Miss
Columbine,” explained Mark as he
started the engine. “What next?
Do we head for home?”
“At once; and don’t attempt to
leave everybody else behind, even
if you are the best driver In Pine
Ridge. I understand you told
JTuanlta Tubbs that you could drive
up Ute pass with one hand and
blindfolded Into the bargain. I was
surprised, Mark Adam, to And you’d
added boasting to your other
sins.”
Mark laugned ana answered:
"You know me better. Miss Colum
bine. That was only for Juanita's
benefit. Since her cousin from
Denver won the motorcycle race up
the Peak last fall, that girl has put
on airs.”
“She’ll be putting on black most
likely, If he attempts to win an
other year,” sniffed Miss Columbine.
"Such races ought to be prohibited
by law. We’re headed right Into
the mountains now, Nancy. This 1
part of town was settled before the
Springs, and the territorial legisla
ture met here In 1802 with nothing 1
but a log room for their house of
representatives.”
“Was there any hotel for the men 1
to stay at?” questioned Jack, for \
whom the details of United States
history held a lure.
“Only a tavern made of logs, not 1
nearly big enough to accommodate |
them, ^Sbroe bad to sleep on the 1
floor of the assembly room; and one
member brought his family and set
up housekeeping In a tent”
“How’d they get here If they came
from a distance?" put In Jack. “On ,
, horseback?"
“Most of them; but they came In |
wagons, too, or In old-fashioned
overland stage coaches drawn by
mules. ,One member tramped over i
a btlndred miles through the moun- |
tains, and arrived here with a boot i
on one foot, a brogan on the other, j
and wearing an old slouch hat he’d
slept In, with the brim half gone.” <
“What was he supposed to repre- i
sent?" Mark Adam asked over his |
shoulder. “A rummage sale?" i
"It doesn’t matter,” replied Miss '
Columbine briskly, “because he was
elected speaker of the houAe; and
those who heard that speech never <
forgot it. A fine orator was George I
Crocker; and he came from Massa
chusetts, I believe. There was l
something thrilling about the strug- i
gle of those old days which you i
young folks’ll never realize. See l
those tall red cliffs over to the right, i
Jack? That’s the entrance to the i
Garden of the Gods.”
“It la I” 1
In hla excitement the boy would I
have stood up for a better view, i
but Nancy’s' bag across his knees .
prevented him.
“I remember my father bringing i
me down on horseback when I was I
'a tiny girl,” said Cousin Columbine, i
“I sat astride In front of him, and I
tre rode AH through the Garden
looking for cattle It whs vacant ,
lind them and Father was he tm- I
frAWbbdi with the rock formation <
that be considered preempting It, !
THE STORY FROM THE BEGINNING
Ruined, financially, by the stock market crash, James Nelson, Boston
merchant, breaks the news to his household. Nance, his daughter, nineteen,
is on the verge of her Introduction to society. A short time before, an
elderly cousin of Nelson’s, Columbine, had written suggesting that Nance
come to her at Pine Ridge, Colo., as a paid companion. The offer had been
regarded as a Joke. Jack, Nancy’s seventeen-year-old brother, urges her
to accept Cousin Columbine's proposition, thus relieving their father of a
certain financial burden, and . offering to go with her so that she will not
feel too lonely. The girl does not like the idea, but agrees that Jack write
to Cousin Columbine, and they will await her answer. Columbine wires
welcome to both of them, and despite some misgivings it is arranged that
the two shall go. At the railroad station they are welcomed by Cousin
Columbine. Somewhat dismayed by her unconventional attire arfd man
nerisms, they realize she has character. The driver of their car is a young
friend of the old lady, Mark Adam.
and then gave np the Idea, think
Ing the land worthless."
"Imagine owning the Garden of
the Gods!" gasped Jack. "Has It
always gone by that name, I won
der?”
“It has as long as I remember;
but the eajly settlers called the
place lied Hocks. No need to en
courage a stiff neck, Jack, by trying
to see out of the.back of your
head. JVe’ll all drl^e -down some
day and,explore the Garden.”
If the West had seemed wonder
ful from a car window, It was
thrice wonderful from Mark Adam's
dilapidated flivver. The young Nel
sons were never to forget that
ride. Such spectacular beauty was
new to both of them. Glimpses of
rushing water far below—the rocky
cliffs and hillsides far above—sharp
curves appearing with alarming fre
quency; and over everything a sky
of deep azure such as they had
not Imagined, was, as Nance wrote
the family later, too wonderful for
say words of hers.
"There! exclaimed Cousin Co
lumbine when those Impressive
cliffs were left behind, “that’s over
safely. Time was when that pass
was really dangerous. It's a boule
vard now compared with those days.
Thanks for blowing the horn so
often, Mark. I know you did It for
my benefit, though m.v worst enemy
never called me nervous. There’s
Matthew drawn up beside the rood.
Do you suppose he’s had a break
down? That truck of yours Is get
ting pretty ancient"
“There’s plenty o’ life In that
old truck yet," defended Mark. “All
my bashful brother wants, most like
ly, ia for ua to get home first so he
won’t have to describe these—er—
new-comers to Aurora Tubbs. Matt
says Aurora takes away bis power
of speech when she slings ques
tions at him. He says It’s no won
der Victor Tubbs went Into a de
cline. HI, there. Matt! Want us to
tow you home?”
The older Adam smiled a negative
as they passed; and Nancy said:
“Doesn’t your brother ever wear a
hat?”
“Not so’s you’d notice It Dad
says that’s all Matt learned In col
lege--going bare-headed.”
Mark turnecf to throw a smile at
Nancy and barely escaped colliding
with a rock.
“Mind your driving," ordered Miss
Columbine.
“Yes, ma’am,” replied the youth
with meekness; and turned his head
again, this time to wink.
The winter day hnd seemed almost
baliuy to the New Englanders; but
as they reached more open country
and the shadows of afternoon began
to deepen, Nance was uncomfort
ably conscious of the changed at
mosphere and lack of lap robe. Thus
It was a relief when Cousin Colum
bine announced that they were near
ly home.
“Stop after you cross the track,
Mark, and let them get a good look
at the Peak from this side—our
side, I call It. You see. I’ve lived
In the shadow of that mountain since
the day I was born, und it seems to
belong to me.”
Mark nodded, crossed the track,
turned sharply to the left and
stopped the car, while Nancy uttered
a cry of genuine delight Cousin
Columbine bad Dot exaggerated.
Pike’s Peak was beautiful from here,
Its snow crest lifting above a for
est of dark pines. Said Jack, after
aD awed moment: 'That's great.
Isn’t It?” And the old lady respond
ed : “I’m glad to see that you appre
ciate nature, for It's all I have to
offer except hospitality. This Is
Pine Ridge, my dears. I dare say
it looks provincial to you; but It’s
home to me.”
Home! Nancy’s eyes strayed from
the mountain, and with difficulty ahe
suppressed another exclamation—
one of dismay. Pine Ridge! Why
It was nothing bat a straggling, dus
ty street 1 Had they traveled two
thousand miles In order to spend
weeks, months, goodness knows
how long. In such a spot? The
grandeur of th« mountain was for
gotten In that desperate moment
All the girl saw was a row of for
lorn frams buildings, their elnslve
fronts rising deceptively to the
height of en Imaginary second
story, their clapboards bare of
paint, tbelr porches sagging. . , .
Aa the car moved forward even
Jeck was dumb. They passed a
Ailing station—a grocery—the post
office and drag store—a ramshackle
place mArked “Restaurant” at
which Nancy shuddered—a twoi
story hotel, Its narrow porch hug
ging the dusty rond as If land were
too scarce In this vicinity to afford
a lawn.
“Rut there’s Cousin Columbine's
estate,” thought Nancy, grasping at
this straw, “It can’t be near these
awful places. Perhaps there’s a
side street or—”
No. Mark was steering the car
between two sagging gate posts.
Nance stared ahead. Was this the
boasted family mansion—this hide
ous frame house with peeling mus
tard-colored paint and a preten
tious tower at one corner? A ware
of rebellion swept through the girl;
and something curious seemed to be
happening to her ears. She raised
her hands to press against them,
but heard Cousin Columbine say
quickly:
"Bars popping? That’s only al
titude, my dear. We're nearly nine
thousand feet above the sea, and
on almost the very spot where I
was born. Bather built this house
after he struck silver at LeadvIUe
In ’78. As you see. It’s In need of
a coat of paint; but It needed
something else a great deal more
so the paint must wait a year er
two. Stop at the side door, Mark,
or Matthew’s likely to bnmp Into
ns. Aurora I Aurora Tubbs, where
are you? Come out at once and
meet my relatives. Well, Nancy"
(she turned, her lined face beaming
with happy pride), “what do you
think of It? Does the Nelson man
sion come up to your expectations?”
CHAPTER IV
. . And all that saved me,"
wrote Nancy In her first letter
home, “was the arrival of Aurora
Tubbs on the side porch.”
This was quite true. As the girl
cast wildly about In search of an
cnswer that would conceal her state
of mind, a woman, so short, and
stout, and brightly attired that she
made Nance think of the colored
“cubes” she used to play with In
kindergarten, fairly burst upon
them through a doorway which
looked too narrow to admit her.
She wore a dress of brightest blue
bird blue, and her squareness was
accentuated by a starched white
apron, tied snugly In the spot In
tended by nature for a watst-llne.
“So you’re here?" she asked, as
If her eyes deceived her.
“The fact Is evident, I believe,”
returned Miss Columbine. “These
are my young cousins, Aurora, and
I’ve no doubt they're glad to reach
their destination. This Is Aurora
Tubbs, my dears, whom you’ve
heard me mention. Goodness knows
what Fd have done without her all
these long years."
“Pleased to meet you,” said Au
rora, and shook hands with Jack,
first to alight from the automobile.
“And you too, Nancy. Might as well
call first names right off, It seems
to me, and not be formal. I see
you’re wearln' a fur coat, but aren’t
your legs most frozen In silk stock
ings? I'll take that bag, Miss Col
umbine. Mark Adam, you set that
box o’ canned stuff on my kitchen
table. Come right In, Jack and
Nancy, and make yourselves at
home. Here’s Matthew now. I see
you brought two trunks.”
Nancy found herself a little
breathless, not entirely the effect
of altitude. She had expected Au
rora Tubbs to be a sort of servant,
and here she was acting the part of
hostess! It was very confusing.
Nance didn’t know Just what to do.
Perhaps Mark Adam sensed her di
lemma for as he shouldered his bur
den the corners of his nice mouth
twitched with amusement, and his
blue eyes, meeting hers, were dis
concerting.
“Come In, every one," said Cousin
Columbine, stepping down from the
car with youthful agility. “Turn to
the left, and go Into my sitting
room. I close the. parlor during the
cold weather. This carpet came
from Chicago In 1880—the first car
pet In Pine Ridge, I’ll have you
kndw. Mark Adam, you and Mat
thew carry those trunks right up,
please. Which is yours, Nancy—
that queer Btand-op one? Put It In
the tower room, Mark, and the other
In the northeast chamber. Aurora,
bring In the chocolate cake."
“Not my beautiful fresh cake.
Miss Columbine I” protested the
woman In shocked rebellion. “Not
my good chocolate cake I made for
supper? If those Adam boys once
Set their teeth Into tt we’rS lucky
sss -u
to have a'*crumb left over; and—
There! there! Don't glare at me,
Miss Columbine. Shall I bring forks
and plates?”
“Fingers were mnde before forks,
Aurora, and It’s not a party," re
plied Miss Columbine, much to
Jack’s amusement. “Just bring tha
cake and .a knife to cut It. I prom
ised Matthew a piece, and I’ll keep
my word If we have to bake again
tomorrow. Ton make a splendid
chocolate cake, Aurora Tubbs,
though as a rule I don’t compliment
people to their faces."
As the woman, somewhat mollified
at this praise, departed on her un
welcome errand, Columbine-Nelson
chuckled audibly.
“Poor Aurora I I’ve no doubt she
expected to make a great Impres
sion by bringing In that layer cake
at supper. But those boys are
hungry, most likely, and they’ve still
five miles to go. Come In, both of
you," she called as steps sounded on
the stairs. “No, Matthew Adam,
don’t try to escape out the front
door. I’ve a slice of cake for you;
though Aurora Tubbs Is ready to
slay me for suggesting that we cut
Into her handiwork.”
“It’s not the cutting I mind, Miss
Columbine,” Aurora corrected, ap
pearing through one door as the
boys came In another, “but seeing It
disappear so—so rapidly. It's a
handsome cake, I thtnk you’ll all
agree. Shall I do the cutting, Miss
Columbine? I declare. It seems al
most a pity.”
“What do you think thgt cake
Is for, Aurora?" snapped. Miss
Columbine. "A parlor ornament?”
(Nancy smiled though the phrase
sounded nnpleasantly familiar). “I’ll
cut the thing myself, or these young
folks will go hungry.”
“You don’t need to cut 'em quite
so thick," remonstrated the anxious
woman, hovering near. “That’s a
four-layer cake, Miss Columbine,
and a wedge two Inches at the
widest part’s enough for anyone.
\\ \\S0**" “V j*”
a rrre v
Ptne Ridge!
Those Adam boys’* (she spoke as If
they were not present) “have got
fierce appetites when they go places,
which is no wonder because their
mother's not what you’d call a nat
ural cook and owns to It herself,
so there’s no occasion for hard feel
ings. If Nancy eats that big wedge,
now, Miss Columbine, she won't have
any nppetlte for supper.”
“Oh, leave us be!” returned the
older woman with Impatience.
“Leave us be! Here’s your piece,
Matthew, and don't drop frosting on
the carpet. Stand close to the
stove, all of you, and let the crumbs
fall Into the coal hod. And be sure
to fell Aurora Tubbs how good It is.
That’s why she’s hanging 'round the
door.”
“It’s great 1” grinned Jack, at
which Aurora beamed.
“It’s simply* marvelous!” said
Nancy.
The smile widened; while Mark
Adam, an appreciative hand upon
his stomach, murmured: “It’s su
perb, Aurora. I warn you now, Miss
Columbine, when I get married I
aim to steal your cook.”
“Wouldn’t It be better to marry
the cook herself and keep her In
the family?” suggested Matthew sol
emnly.
This suggestion, coming from a
hitherto silent, and obviously bash
ful young man, was not short of
amazing. Nance glanced at Mat
thew with new Interest; but Aurora
bristled.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
City of Colon
The city of Colon, Panama, was
first named Asplnwall-Colon, In hon
or of William H. Asplnwall, one nf
the first builders of the Panama
tallroad, and for Colon, a brother
of Christopher Columbus. When the
French started construction of the
canal in 1881 the hams Asplnwall
was dropped.
Howe About:
My Most Important Job
The Big Allows
H. G. Wells
©, Bell Syndicate.—WNU Service.
By ED HOWE
I CONFESS to 80 years of idle
* ness, work, observation, mischief,
wisdom, folly. What have I found
my most Important Job? To con
stantly strive to better manage my
self, that I may Increase efficiency
of mind and body.
* * *
A man named F. C. Fox became
general manager of the Santa Fe
system some years ago, and went
out on the line In a special car.
Two or three of the older officials
were with him, and they sidetracked
one morning, somewhere. An Irish
section foreman soon appeared who
was well acquainted with the older
officials. The Irishman ha^?come
down to demand more wages (really
very generous, and he knew It, but
like the rest of us, he was always
clamoring for more). So to the offi
cials he knew he recited what a
good man he was; how he had long
keen Imposed on; how valuable his
services were to the company, etc.
The officials he had long known
agreed with him (In our disposition
to get along, we all lie to a man's face,
and roast him behind his back).
"The man to see Is Inside," the offl
clals said; “the new general mana
ger." Then the Irishman started
climbing the car steps, grumbling
his protests, and declaring he In
tended to speak a piece of his mind,
after long suppressing his Indlgna
tlon. . . . Almost immediately the
Irishman returned from his visit
to the new general manager. "A big
fellow, ain’t he?" the Irishman said,
and returned to his work.
F. C. Fox Is a large man; at that
time young and athletic. Mr. Fox
was sitting at Ills desk, back turned.
The Irishman sized him up, did not
speak to him, and quickly backed
out. Everybody respects the Big
Fellows, although nobody admits
It. Perhaps they should not; such
admission may be confession of
cowardice—of lack of nobleness; I
do not know, and am not discussing
the question here. I only wish to
say everybody respects the big fel
lows a little more than they re
spect the little fellows.
We all bluff a good deal; and
bluffing Is mostly foolish.
Tour “hand’, has a certain value.
The ten will take the nine; and
so on up to the controversy between
the two spot and the ace; or the
controversy betwen the section fore
man and the general manager.
There may be a certain satisfaction
In Indignation meetings, public and
private, but they have brought me
so little through my many years
that I attend few of them.
The world has widely accepted H.
O. Wells as a man of unusual fair
ness, education and Intelligence, by
giving him honorable distinction.
He recently made a speech In Lon
don and said: “In many regions of
the earth there Is an epidemic of
intolerance which takes ugly and
novel forms. To me It seems, more
than anything else, a rebellion of
the clumsy louts against thought
and sanity; and they are now ram
pant everywhere with Idiotic sym
bols, and Idiotic salutes contriving
Idiotic cruelties. Is the civilized ma
jority safe? Personally I do not
think so; I expect to feel uneasy
for another ten years; by that time
I expect the clumsy louts to be
conquered by a capable majority
which should have better controlled
them long ago."
Mr. Wells’ statement is true
enough, but it isn’t new. I’ve been
saying the same thing, In almost
Identical language, at least four
years.
• • •
Why should not grand opera be
given for what it will bring In at
the box office? Why should we go
so far In art as to pay a lot of men
and women enormous salaries to
screech In a manner we do not
actually care a great deal for, and
demand that business men or the
government, pay the deficit? . . .
All the rest of us are compelled to
advertise our show, and take what
ever comes In. Why should not
artists do the snme? . . . Tou may
reply they simply will not. All right;
then let them go to the devil, or to
Italy, or wherever they come from.
• • •
•The less we have to do with
women," Schopenhauer wrote, “the
better. They are not even a ‘neces
sary evil'; life Is safer and smooth
er without them. Let me recognize
the snare that lies In women’s
beauty, and the absurd comedy of
reproduction will end. Thus the ex
tinction of the race will be achieved.
Why should the curtain that has
just fallen upon defeat and death
always rise again upon a new life,
a new struggle, and a new defeat?
How long shall we be lured Into
this endless pain that leads only to
a painful end?”
I do not endorse this sentiment;
I quote It only that more women
may know about its author and hate
him.
• • •
The human race may go further,
and over an easier road; that Is
all I claim In such reforms as I
advocate. (
*
HUMMING BIRDS
Nest of a Humming Bird.
Prepared by National Qeotraphle Society,
Washington, D. C.-WNU Servlcs.
LTHOUGH members of the
humming bird family are the
tiniest of birds, they belong
to a huge family. There are 488
known species of humming birds
and there are 150 or more addition
al sub-species or geographic races,
making a total of more than 600
recognized kinds.
They are found only In the New
world, where they range from the
Strait of Magellan to Canada and
Alaska, constituting one of the most
brilliantly colored and specialized
families of birds found In this vast
region.
The famlly-ls most abundant, as
regards species, near the Equator,
In the Andean region of South
America. The Republic of Ecuador
has 148 kinds of hummers and Col
ombia 105 known forms.
In passing north and south from
these centers of maximum abun
dance, species become fewer; so
that in North America north of Mex
ico (but Including Lower Califor
nia) only 16 kinds of hummingbirds
are found regularly, while three
others may come casually within
these limits.
In the United States humming
birds are found In greatest variety
In the Southwest, only one species,
the ruby-throat, ranging east of the
Mississippi river.
The mountain meadows of our
southwestern states in midsummer,
when their rich assortments of (low
ers are In bloom, frequently swarm
with humming birds of a number
of species feeding on the blossoms
and pursuing one another pugna
ciously In pure exuberance of life.
It Is under such circumstances that
these sprightly birds appear at
their best, and one never tires of
watching them.
Humming birds are most abun
dant in regions where there are
thickets of other woodland Inter
spersed with meadows and openings
where the birds may feed and dis
port themselves In the sunshine.
Some kinds are Inhabitants of
heavy forests, these being found
mainly In tropical regions, where
certain species have become adapt
ed to life In the dense rain forests.
Inhabitant ot uense norests.
The emerald humming bird of
Haiti and the Dominican republic
lives In the densest of forest
growths, where the vegetation drips
constantly with water from the
daily rains, and comes only occa
sionally Into little openings to feed
at flowers. Its deep-green colora
tion blends with its forest back
ground, so that often the subdued
humming of its wings, as It moves
among the branches, may be heard
for some time before , one can dis
tinguish the form of the bird in
the somber shadows.
An existence of such a type Is In
strong contrast to that of the beau
tiful long-tailed Sappho hummer
that Is found In the Andean foot
hills of western Argentina, living in
open valleys grown with low creo
sote bush, where the birds are con
stantly fthind in the open.
The majority of hummers are
characterized by glittering reflec
tions from their plumage, and as a
general rule the males are more
brilliant thnn the females.
The hues of the plumage are Iri
descent and are caused by the re
fraction of light. On close exam
ination of the feather of a bird, It
Is found to be composed of many
fine filaments, which under the
microscope are seen to be divided
into still finer divisions. In the
shining feathers of hummers, there
Is an abundance of dark pigment In
the tiny feather divisions known as
barbules. The sheath overlying
this pigment Is etcher smooth and
hlghly_pollshed or has many mi
nute lines on or under Its surface.
This structure causes a reflection
or a refraction of the light, accord
ing to the circumstance, making the
brilliant hues found In these birds.
As for form, the variation among
hummers Is truly astonishing. The
smallest bird In the world Is Hele
na's humming bird of Cuba, from
two and one-fourth to two and one
balf Inches or a trifle more In
length, with the wing only one and
one-third Inches long or less and
the bill less than half an Inch long.
This tiny sprite Is sometimes
called the fairy hummer. In con
trast to it, there Is the giant hum
mer of the central and southern An
dean mountains that is about eight
and one-half Inches in length and
has a wing five Inches long. This
species Is as large In body as a
bluebird and Is strong and power
ful, resembling a large swift In
general appearance.
Variations In details of form are
as remarkable as those In size. In
one species of hummer, the sword
bearer, the bill Is nearly five Inches
long, being longer than the rest of
the bird. Another has a bill less
than a quarter of an Inch long.
Variations In Form.
Most hummers have straight bills,
but there Is the stckleblll, in which
the bill Is curved so that Its outline
forms one-third of a circle. Such
adaptations allow feeding In spe
cial flowers, the sword-bearer fre
quenting long, trumpet-shaped blos
soms, while the slckleblll Is partial
to certain orchids, palms, and oth
er peculiar blossoms, where the
throat of the flower Is curved.
Variations In the form of the tall
In this group are equally remark
able. Most species have the feath
ers of ordinary length, forming a
square or slightly notched tall, but
In contrast to these there are the
racket-tailed hummers, In which
the lateral feathers are greatly
elongated, with the tip narrowed
and then expanded so that It re
sembles a racket. The long-tailed
hummers have tails three or four
times as long as the body, the long
est feathers being seven Inches In
length.
It Is usual for male humming
birds to have a spot of brilliant Iri
descent color on the throat. With
this there are often peculiar feath
er developments In the form of
crests, or gorgets, that provide In
creased surface for these areas of
brilliant color, and often produce
most remarkable and extraordinary
appearances.
The nests of humming birds are
made of soft plant downs, formed
Into a cup-shaped structure that in
most Instances Is placed firmly on
some small twig or branch, some
times near the ground and some
times high above It. The outside
of this structure usually Is covered
with bits of bark and moss bound
In place with spider web. so that
the nest Is Inconspicuous, resem
bling merely a knot on a limb.
Some species attach their nests to
leaves or to the ends of branches,
so that they are semipendent.
Two white eggs, resembling
pearls against their background of
plant down, are laid by most spe
cies whose nesting habits- are
known. Occasionally' one egg con
stitutes a set, and rarely three.
Though large In comparison to the
size of the parent, In the case of
the smaller hummers, the eggs are
very tiny. 'I*fiosevOf the vervain
hummer of Haiti, a species that Is
barely larger thnn the smallest spe
cies known, measure less than half
an Inch long by one-tliird of an
inch In diameter.
Eat Nectar and Insects.
That humming birds fed on the
nectar of flowers Is universally
known, but the part that nectar
plays In their diet Is not so great
as Is popularly believed, since
large numbers of tiny flies, bees,
be&tles, and other Insects, as well
as spiders, are captured In the flow
er corollas.
These tiny birds are hungry for
meat as well ns for sweets. The
stomnehs of the various species
that have been examined to learn
something of their food have been
filled with fragments of insects and
spiders. After the nutriment has
been extracted from these, the in
digestible parts are formed Into
tiny pellets that are regurgitated
to empty the stomach for another
meal.
some Rinas or nummers, particu
larly forest-inhabiting forms, pay
little attention to blossoms, but
spend much of their time In glean
ing over the moss-covered bark of
the trees of their forest haunt
searching for animal food. Others
have been seen feeding on tiny
gnats gathered in whirling clouds
In the air. The hummers hang with
rapidly vibrating wings, seizing the
minute Insects one by one In flight
and whirling about with the great
est celerity In securing their prey.
Flowers, however, are attractive
to most humming birds. In the
semlarld sections of western Argen
tina, a red-flowered epiphyte Is
highly attractive to them. The gen
eral tone of vegetation In these
desert areas Is gray-green, so that
the red color of the flowers stands
out prominently at s distance. It
Is evident that they are sought by
the hummers, as the birds fly di
rectly from clump to clump even
when these are separated by a con
siderable distance.
In thplr feeding, hummers, like
bees, carry pollen from blossom to
blossom end some species are Im
portant agents In the fertilization
of flowers.