File:Aunt May's bird talks (1900) (14565700049).jpg

Identifier: auntmaysbirdtalk00poyn (find matches)
Title: Aunt May's bird talks
Year: 1900 (1900s)
Authors: Poyntz, F. M., Mrs. (from old catalog)
Subjects: Birds
Publisher: Boston, New York (etc.) Educational publishing company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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fanning the air keeps them fromfalling, and thus they circle round and round aflower, sipping the honey from its cup, andthen flit away to other sweets. It is thiscontinual motion of the wings that makes thecurious humming sound which gives themtheir name. The Humming-bird, you know, obtains itsfood from the cups of long, tubular flowersprincipally, like the lily, trumpet-flower andothers of the same kind, so they need the long,slender bill we have noticed which they caninsert deep into the flower; in this way theynot only draw the honey from the flower, but AUNT MAYS BIRD TALKS. 135 are able to feed on the insects which areusually found in it. Their nests are dainty little structures onlyabout an inch wide and deep ; they are usuallyfastened to the side of an old tree and aremade of moss or some soft substance andlined with the petals of flowers or grasses.Think what a fairy bed it must be! This isall matted together and glued with saliva fromthe birds mouth, which makes it very firm
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136 AUNT MAYS BIRD TALKS. and like a piece of felt or soft cloth ; for thisreason these birds are called the felt makers. They rarely lay more than two eggs whichare white and very tiny. The little creaturesare very brave and if another and larger birdapproaches its nest, the male bird circles roundand round with a humming sound and fre-quently strikes at the eyes of its enemy withits beak, for the latter is firm and sharp as aneedle and makes a very good weapon. You have noticed how your Canary feedsher babies ; she takes the food in her mouth,then puts her beak down their throats, andthus feeds them. The Humming-birds planis just the opposite; wThen the parent bird hasfilled its mouth with sweets from the flowers,the little ones thrust their beaks down theirparents throats and suck the honey broughtfor them. They have tongues made of two AUNT MAYS BIRD TALKS. 137 muscular tubes joined, and broadening to thetip and ending in a little spoon-like joint.You know your kitty has little cu

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