Page:Natural History, Birds.djvu/78

Rh lamina rolled up, yet not so as to bring the edges into actual contact. Near the tip, the outer edge of each lamina ceases to be convoluted, but is spread out, and split at the margin into irregular points, directed backward.



The structure of the tongue is, therefore, essentially the same as in the Sun-birds; and it is applied to the same purposes, the sucking up of the nectar contained in flowers, and with it the minute insects that are always congregated in such situations. In searching these, however, the Humming-bird hovers on his strong vibrating wings in front of the blossom, while with his long protruded tongue he probes its recesses; yet not unfrequently may he be seen to assume the manner of his Oriental representative, and cling with his little feet to a leaf or twig, while he rifles the flowers.

But Humming-birds are also expert fly-catchers, and a great deal of their time is spent hovering in the air in the midst of swarms of very minute flies, snapping them up with many quick turns and sudden contortions. On dissection, their stomachs are usually found to be distended with insects.

The Trochilidæ are confined to the New World; and though the tropical regions of that continent, and the lovely islands of the West Indies, are their principal home, yet some species are found to penetrate, at least in summer, to high latitudes