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 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.