The principal aquatic birds are, boobies, or gannets, man-of-war birds, coots, gorlings, (a kind of heron,) gulls. The other birds are, chicken-hawks, (or killa-a-killa, as the negroes call them,) buzzards, turtle-doves, ground-doves, wild pigeons, quails, a brown bird, with a most melodious note,—“the nightingale of a tropic noon,” as Coleridge poetically calls it; sparrows, finches, yellowbreasts, blackbirds, (but not like those sweet songsters of old England’s woods,) several other birds, with whose names I am unacquainted, and lastly, the pigmy humming-bird. Speaking of these beautiful little creatures, a modern author remarks: “The consummate green of the emerald, the rich purple of the amethyst, and the vivid flame of the ruby, all happily blended and enveloped beneath a transparent veil of wavy gold, are distinguished in every species, but differently arranged and proportioned in each.” Pretty as this description is, it is not quite applicable to the humming-birds of Antigua; for although the “emerald” may be found, as well as the purple and gold, in some degree, “the vivid flame of the ruby” will be sought for in vain. Still it is a lovely little creature, with its long slender bill, its graceful little head, its sparkling black eye, and its fairy-like flittings among the fragrant blossoms of its sunny home. It has been asserted that the humming-bird is one of the shyest among the feathered tribe; but to express my own opinion, I think it has as good a stock of assurance as is possible to conceive for such a minute creature; while its passions are very strong, and it will attack any bird who comes within its range.
An anecdote was related to me during my stay in this island, which proves how strong maternal love reigns in the breast of a humming-bird. In order to increase a cabinet of birds, a negro was dispatched in quest of these little creatures, with orders to capture all he could; and in the course of his perambulations, he alighted upon one which had built her tiny nest of cotton in a secluded dell, and which, at that moment, was engaged in the office of incubation. Void of pity, the negro seized upon his prize, (which, with an expectant mother’s love, would not quit her eggs,) broke off the stem of the tree to which the nest was attached, and carried it the distance of ten or twelve miles to his master’s house, where it remained for four days; and although under no confinement, the humming-bird would not forsake her nest, but was conveyed in that situation on board ship, where she must have died of starvation; for who was to administer to her the ambrosial dews which formed her food?
There are many other creatures whose lives and habits might be given; but as I have already extended this part of my subject to greater lengths than I had intended, I must conclude, or my task would reach to many more pages.
[[68]] The cancer graspus is the handsomest of its species, being of a pale yellow, beautifully streaked and spotted with red, and deeply serrated claws of a pure white. When in its native element it spouts out the water from two orifices near its eyes, forming a beautiful and never-ceasing arch.
[[69]] It was the shell of a turtle which served that great monarch, Henry IV. of France, for a cradle.
[[70]] The guana has the power of fascinating small birds &c. in the same manner as the anaconda, or rattle-snake, does. When bent upon such deeds, it stretches itself baskingly in the sun, and darts out its long red tongue; the birds, attracted by the sight, hover round, apparently irresistibly approaching the creature’s mouth, until at length, when drawn within a convenient distance, the guana makes a sudden start, and with one effort swallows the poor bird.
[[71]] Oldmixon, in his history, says, the scorpions in Barbados are as big as rats. If so, the present race of scorpions must have degenerated greatly in size, or else the rats are of a Lilliputian family.
CHAPTER LII.
BOTANY.