Humming Birds, Described and Illustrated

Portada
Groombridge and sons, 1856 - 144 pàgines
 

Altres edicions - Mostra-ho tot

Frases i termes més freqüents

Passatges populars

Pàgina 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...
Pàgina 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.
Pàgina 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.
Pàgina 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.
Pàgina 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 —...
Pàgina 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...
Pàgina 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!
Pàgina 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...

Informació bibliogràfica