Note 34 — PETER KALM’s TRAVELS. (continued 3)

October the 24th. Of all the rare birds of North America, the Humming bird is the most admirable, or at least most worthy of peculiar attention. Several reasons induce me to believe that few parts of the world can produce its equal. Dr. Linnæus calls it Trochilus Colubris. The Swedes and some Englishmen call it the King’s bird, but the name of Humming bird is more common. Catesby in his Natural History of Carolina, Vol. i. page 65, tab. 65. has drawn it, in its natural size, with its proper colours, and added a description of it.34 In size it is not much bigger than a large humble bee, and is therefore the least of all birds,35 or it is much if there is a lesser species in the world. Its plumage is most beautifully coloured, most of its feathers being green, some grey, and others forming a shining red ring round its neck; the tail glows with fine feathers, changing from green into a brass colour. These birds come here in spring about the time when it begins to grow very warm, and make their nests in summer, but towards autumn they retreat again into the more southern countries of America. They subsist barely upon the nectar, or sweet juice of flowers contained in that part, which botanists call the nectarium, and which they suck up with their long bills. Of all the flowers, they like those most, which have a long tube, and I have observed that they have fluttered chiefly about the Impatiens Noli tangere, and the Monarda with crimson flowers. An inhabitant of the country is sure to have a number of these beautiful and agreeable little birds before his window all the summer long, if he takes care to plant a bed with all sorts of fine flowers under them. It is indeed a diverting spectacle to see these little active creatures flying about the flowers like bees, and sucking their juices with their long and narrow bills. The flowers of the above-mentioned Monarda grow verticillated, that is, at different distances they surround the stalk, as the flowers of our mint (Mentha) bastard hemp (Galeopsis) mother-wort (Leonurus) and dead nettle (Lamium). It is therefore diverting to see them putting their bills into every flower in the circle. As soon as they have sucked the juice of one flower, they flutter to the next. One that has not seen them would hardly believe in how short a space of time they have had their tongues in all the flowers of a plant, which when large and with a long tube, the little bird by putting its head into them, looks as if it crept with half its body into them.