"'He would not believe a caterpillar,' laughed Madame Humming-bird. 'However, I will tell you any thing in my power.'
"'If it is all about your distinguished relations in the South, I have heard enough on that subject already,' said the spiteful robin.
"At this the other grew very angry, inflating her tiny throat, and snapping her bill. I tried to soothe her wrath, for I dislike any thing irritating.
"'I always did despise robins. My great family, indeed! One should learn better than to associate with plebeians.'
"'The robin was jealous of your superior beauty.'
"This made the humming-bird good-natured again; so she went on:—
"'Did you ever hear of my first cousin the Chimborazian hill-star? Ah! there is a fine bird for you. Not afraid to expose his frail form to the cold of higher latitudes, he dearly loves mountain air. I will tell you a story about him sometime. The hermits are so clever at building nests, they would laugh at this rude cradle of mine; still, as I cannot find any suitable leaf to suspend my nest from, bound by elastic spider-threads, I just use this knot, which answers the purpose after all. Some of them form a felt-like substance of moss and bark woven together; others use a fungus resembling buff-leather; while the Sappho comet lines her nest with the long hairs of the clamas. My relatives can boast the greatest variety of coloring. They have black diadems, purple-shaded patches, or vivid scarlet, blue, and crimson aigrettes. I do not know why people need invent fairies and gnomes when they can have us for subjects, flashing about among the flowers, as gay as the brightest of them, or bathing in some secluded nook of the brook, under the fern-leaves that form a tiny bower.'
"We were so much interested in the subject under discussion, that we never heeded the approach of danger. I looked up and saw a man's face close beside me. He was climbing cautiously along, his gaze fixed upon my pretty companion. Before I could give any warning, I was shaken to the ground, and the humming-bird continued to talk of her great relations, unobservant of my fall. I watched eagerly, and presently the man came down again, with his captive and her nest uninjured.
"'Oh, my dear Caterpillar!' she sighed, looking through the meshes of the fine net which covered her little head; 'I wish you were strong enough to help me. However, promise to find my husband, and tell him of my sad fate.'
"I have never found him," said the disappointed Caterpillar. "I presume he has consoled himself with another wife by this time. I searched faithfully, crawling over whole trees in hopes of seeing him, and exposing myself to many dangers. I met other caterpillars in plenty. That of the looper-moth supports itself for hours on the hinder feet, raising the body high in air, and, by a resemblance to the twigs of the tree, succeeds in deceiving the birds that would devour it. Some I found to be protected from injury by tufts of hair, acrid secretions, and stinging powers. Others so closely resembled brown, crumpled leaves, or green, fresh ones, that I should never have known them had they not spoken; while some of the number arm their dwellings with thorns. I have even heard of another species, called bombardiers, who fire off little guns when pursued, accompanied by a blue smoke and disagreeable scent.