a great bee. It is from that he takes
his name of `humming-bird.' See his throat, how it glitters--just like
a ruby!"

"Another!" cried Francois; "look above! It is not near so pretty as the
first. Is it a different species?"

"No," replied Lucien, "it is the female of the same; but its colour is
not so bright, and you may notice that it wants the ruby-throat."

"I see no others," said Francois, after a pause.

"I think there are but the two," remarked Lucien, "a male and female.
It is their breeding season. No doubt their nest is near."

"Shall we try to catch them?" inquired Francois.

"That we could not do, unless we had a net."

"I can shoot them with small shot."

"No, no," said Lucien, "the smallest would tear them to pieces. They
are sometimes shot with poppy-seeds, and sometimes with water. But
never mind, I would rather observe them a bit as they are. I want to
satisfy myself upon a point. You may look for the nest, as you have
good eyes. You will find it near--in some naked fork, but not among the
twigs or leaves."

Basil and Francois set about looking for the nest, while Lucien
continued to watch the evolutions of the tiny little creatures. The
"point" upon which our young naturalist wished to be satisfied was,
whether the humming-birds eat insects as well as honey--a point which
has been debated among ornithologists.

As he stood watching them a large humble-bee (_Apis bombylicus_) came
whizzing along, and settled in one of the flowers. Its feet had
scarcely touched the bright petals, when the male ruby-throat darted
towards it, and attacked it like a little fury. Both came out of the
flower together, carrying on their miniature battle as they flew; but,
after a short contest, the bee turned tail, and flew off with an
angry-like buzz,--no doubt, occasioned by the plying of his wings more
rapidly in flight.

A shout from Francois now told that the nest was discovered. There it
was, in the fork of a low branch, but without eggs as yet--else the
birds would not both have been abroad. The nest was examined by all
three, though they did not disturb it from its position. It was built
of fine threads of Spanish moss (_Tillandsia_), with which it was tied
to the branch; and it was lined inside with the silken down of the
anemone. It was a semi-sphere, open at the top, and but one inch in
diameter. In fact, so small was the whole structure, that any one but
the sharp-eyed, bird-catchi