“Softly, brothers,” said Lucien; “approach them gently, so as not to fright them off—I wish to make some observations upon them.”
As Lucien said this, he walked cautiously forward, followed by Basil and François.
“Ah!” exclaimed Lucien, as they drew near, “I see one now. It is the ruby-throat (Trochilus colubris). He is feeding on the bignonias. They are fonder of them than any other blossoms. See! he has gone up into the funnel of the flower. Ha! he is out again. Listen to his whirring wings, like the hum of 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 François; “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 François, 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 François.
“That we could not do, unless we had a net.”
“I can shoot them with small shot.”