Humming Birds, Described and IllustratedGroombridge and sons, 1856 - 144 páginas |
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Términos y frases comunes
Amethyst amid animals appear beak beautiful bird bill biped blossoms blue body Brazil breast bright brilliant British Birds cage called Captain Cook charming chirp colour crest curious darting delicate delight elegant emerald feathers feet female flower to flower flowering plants forests fowl garden genus gleam golden green gorget Gould Green Humming Bird Guiana habits head honey Hummer inches insects Jamaica JOHN GOULD kind Latin light limb little bird little creatures living look lovely male Mango morning motion naturalists nature nearly nectar Nests and Eggs Nootka Sound observed peculiar perched PLATE pleasure plumage plumes pure white purple Racket-tailed rich round Ruby Ruby-throat Ruby-throated Ruff-necked says seemed seen shape shew side slender South America species spiders splendid spring tail feathers throat tint tipped tree Trochilida Trochilus twig upper watch white cup wild winglets wings young
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Página 33 - is the person who, on seeing this lovely little creature moving on humming winglets through the air, suspended as if by magic in it, flitting from one flower to another with motions as graceful as they are light and airy, pursuing its course over our extensive continent, and yielding new delights wherever it is seen ; — where is the person...
Página 33 - ... food. Its gorgeous throat in beauty and brilliancy baffles all competition. Now it glows with a fiery hue, and again it is changed to the deepest velvety black. The upper parts of its delicate body are of resplendent changing green ; and it throws itself through the air with a swiftness and vivacity hardly conceivable. It moves from one flower to another like a gleam of light, upwards, downwards, to the right, and to the left.
Página 33 - The prairies, the orchards, and gardens, nay, the deepest shades of the forest, are all visited in their turn, and everywhere the little bird meets with pleasure and with food. Its gorgeous throat in beauty and brilliancy baffles all competition. Now it glows with a fiery hue, and again it is changed to the deepest velvety black. The upper parts of its delicate body are of resplendent changing green, and it throws itself through the air with a swiftness and vivacity hardly conceivable.
Página 37 - ... with his fellows ; for when two males meet at the same bush, or flower, a battle instantly takes place ; and the combatants ascend in the air, " chirping, darting and circling round each other, till the eye is no longer able to follow them.
Página ix - Though least in size, the glittering mantle of the humming-bird entitles it to the first place in the list of the birds of the new world. It may truly be called the bird of paradise: and had it existed in the Old World, it would have claimed the title instead of the bird which has now the honour to bear it. See it darting through the air almost as quick as thought!— now it is within a yard of your face! — in an instant gone! — now it flutters from flower to flower to sip the silver dew —...
Página xix - ... these attentions are received with apparent satisfaction; how, soon after, the blissful compact is sealed; how, then, the courage and care of the male are redoubled; how he even dares to give chase to the tyrant fly-catcher, hurries the bluebird and the martin to their boxes; and how, on sounding pinions, he joyously returns to the side of his lovely mate. Reader, all these proofs of the sincerity, fidelity, and courage, with which the male assures his mate of the care he will take of her while...
Página ix - ... world. It may truly be called the bird of paradise; and had it existed in the old world, it would have claimed the title instead of the bird which has now the honour to bear it : — see it darting through the air almost as quick as thought ! — now it is within a yard of your face ! — in an instant gone ! — now it flutters from flower to flower to sip the silver dew — it is now a ruby — now a topaz — now an emerald — now all burnished gold!
Página 37 - When he alights, which is frequently, he always prefers the small dead twigs of a tree or bush, where he dresses and arranges his plumage with great dexterity. His only note is a single chirp — not louder than that of a small cricket or grasshopper — generally uttered...