File:The history of birds - their varieties and oddities, comprising graphic descriptions of nearly all known species of birds, with fishes and insects, the world over, and illustrating their varied (14750046632).jpg

Identifier: historyofbirdsth00bing (find matches)
Title: The history of birds : their varieties and oddities, comprising graphic descriptions of nearly all known species of birds, with fishes and insects, the world over, and illustrating their varied habits, modes of life, and distinguishing peculiarities by means of delightful anecdotes and spirited engravings
Year: 1880 (1880s)
Authors: Bingley, William, 1774-1823
Subjects: Birds Zoology
Publisher: Philadelphia : Edgewood Publishing Co.
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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dainties which it had tasted during its captivity. THE WHITE-FOOTED ROCKET-TAIL. This species, says Gould, enjoys a range of habitat over theColumbian Andes, from the third to the tenth degree of north latitude,but appears to be confined to the region ranging botwooti 5,000 and9,000 feet above the level of the ocean; it is abundant i i the neigh-borhood of Santa Fe de Bogota, and numerous in Galapan, betweenLa Guayra and the Caraccas. Mr. Dyson informs me that, whenhovering before a flower, the action of its wings is exceedingly rapid,that it produces a loud humming sound, and the large spatules at theend of the outer tail-feathers show very couspicuously, being kept incontinual motion by the rapid movements of the liird, and the repeatedclosing and expanding of its tail; its white-booted legs are equallynoticeable. It is strictly an inhabitant of the hills, and loves to examinethe flowers growing in open passes and glades of the forest for its insect 142 TUE WHITE-FOOTED KOCKET-TAIL.
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THE WHITE-FOOTED ROCKKT-TAIL. food, mIiIcIi it procures from the highest trees, as well as from branchesnear the ground. During its flight, it passes through the air witharrow-like swiftness, the tail being carried in a horizontal position. INIr. Gos^e gives the following interesting account of one of the manyattempts he made to rear two young males of tliis beautiful species:The subjects of this experiment were not confined in a cage, but ke))tin a room with doors and windows close shut. They were lively, butnot wild; playful towards each other, and tame with respect to myself,sitting unrestrained for several seconds at a time on my finger. Icollected a few flowers, placed them in a vase on a high shelf, and tothese they resorted immediately ; but I soon found that they paid atten-tion to none but a certain plant. I then went out and gathered a largequantity of them, and was pleased to observe that on entering the roomone flew to my nosegay and sucked while I held it in my hand. PAS

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