Outlines for Scout Workers

Outlines for Scout Workers Mrs. Lucy Smith, and D. W. Parratt, B. S. XX— The Rufous Humming Bird. Art thou a bird, or bee, or butterfly? "Each and all three; a bird in shape am I; A bee, collecting sweets from bloom to bloom; A butterfly in brilliancy of plume." — Montgomery.

1. Why is the rufous humming bird so named? n^rinmiiah
2. What other humming birds are found in our valley? D.stmgu.sh the ruf"us from these.

906 IMPROVEMENT ERA 3. Note color and markings of both male and female and tell why the differences. 4. Where, when, and of what is the nest made? 5. Tell of the size, color, and number of eggs. 6. Upon what does the humming bird subsist? 7. Describe its flight. 8. In what way does it attack its enemies? 9. Where does it winter? 10. Should it be protected? Give at least one reason for your an- swer. Handy Material "Minutest of the feathered kind, Possessing every charm combined, Nature, in forming thee, designed That thou shouldst be A proof within how little space She can comprise such perfect grace, Rendering thy lovely fairy race Beauty's epitome." All members of this "lovely fairy race" have very short wings. When the birds are in flight these tiny wings vibrate so rapidly that they produce peculiar humming sounds. . Be- cause of these sounds, the little feathered midgets are fiittingly called humming birds. There are more than four hundred sixty species of hum- ming birds. Most live in the warm mountain regions of South and Central America, some in the West Indies, and others in North America. Of the entire lot, only about seventeen species are found in the United States, and of this number all but one or two spend considerable of their time in Mexico. Only one is found in the eastern part of our country, thus leaving the other sixteen for the prairie and mountain states of the West. Some half dozen of these are found in Utah, but the most common in and near our own valley are the Black-chinned, the Broad-tailed, and the Rufous. The first of these gets its name from the velvety black patch on its chin and upper throat, the second from its extra broad tail, and the third from the pre- dominating reddish-brown or rufous color of the male bird. The rufous hummer is most often seen in our midst dur- ing migratory seasons. He is seldom more than three and one- half inches hi length and his little wings stretch only one and one-half inches beyond each side of tlie body. He is easily recognized by his bright crimson ruff and brilliant coloring. The reddish-brown, from which he is named, covers under parts, back, neck, and most of tail. A beautiful metallic, pur- plish brown edges the wedge-shaped tail and a purplish green of like lustre covers most of the wings and forehead. Below the

OUTLINES FOR SCOUT WORKERS 907 bright red ruff on his chubby throat is a narrow white collar, completing in dainty way the proud little fellow's attractive toilet. The female is much more modest in her attire. As with most other lady birds, she is given the privilege of selecting her mate. In consequence she is not placed in competition with others of her sex and therefore has no need of showy col- ors or winning gowns. These belong to the less fortunate male who, in order to attract desired attentions, must out-do rival suitors in charms that appeal to the coveted lady bird. But with her it is quite different. She is most concerned in nesting and rearing young. To do these most successfully she must be concealed from lurking enemies. In consequence she dresses in colors which blend most nearly with those of her nest and summer surroundings. The pleasing mixture of green and brown on wings, tail, back, and head serves nigh on perfectly in this respect. Only trained eyes would detect the little lady humming bird as she quietly hovers in her tiny brown nest among the green leaves of some chosen tree, vine or bush. The nests, usually built from two to six feet above the ground, are made of mosses, lichens, or other soft vegetable fibers. These materials are often woven together with spider webs and the whole thing delicately lined with cotton from Cot- tonwood tree or down from other plants. As a rule two broods of little ones are raised each season. The baby birds, usually two to a nest, come from pure white eggs no larger than a good-sized pea. These tiny babies, about the size of bees, are fed by regurgitation; that is, the mother bird pumps the food first softened in her own crop, down the throats of her little ones by means of her own beak. Like all other hummers, the rufous obtains his food from flowers. This consists of nectar and insects and is always se- cured while the bird is on wing. Honeysuckle, monk's hood, columbine, tea vine, and the like are the flowers furnishing de- sired food and in consequence are the ones most often visited. It is interesting to note that the humming bird discovers the flowers he visits by sight alone, and any bit of bright color in the distance is almost sure to attract him to it. The flight of this little creature is really wonderful. Ho seems to be a complete master of the air. With perfect balance he "goes up and down like a little elevator" and flies sidewise and backwards nigh on as easily as frontwards. While he is hovering in quest of food, his wings vibrate so fast that you can- not see them. All that is visible of them is a faint blur on either side of his body. If alarmed he will dart away with such speed that it is almost impossible for the eye to follow his course.

908 IMPROVEMENT ERA The rufous hummer has temper and courage to match his fiery hues. He does not hesitate to dispute the possession of choice flower patches with other hummers and usually comes off victoriously. Nor is he afraid to attack larger birds. Often he is seen driving his long, sharp bill at the eyes of the larger fellow and making it so uncomfortable that the intruder is glad to escape. For many years, humming birds have been in demand for millinery purposes. The rate at which they have been killed for this heartless trade is simply appalling. In only one sale Lewis and Peat of London sold twenty-four thousand eight hundred skins of these little beauties. That was in February, 1911. In May of the same year the same company sold six thousand two hundred fifty and in the following October Hale and Sons, also of London, disposed of ten thousand forty. Sim- ilar sales, of course, are made by other raw-feather dealers in Paris, Amsterdam, and Berlin. From where do these thou- sands of birds come and how long can this exterminating trade last? "That the very choicest birds of the whole avian world should be thus blotted out at the behest of vain and heartless women is a shame, a disgrace, and world-wide loss." "What does it cost this garniture of death? It costs the life which God alone can give: It costs dull silence where was music's breath, It costs dead joy, that foolish pride may live, Ah, life and joy and song, depend upon it, Are costly trimmings for a woman's bonnet!" To a Humming Bird Voyagers on golden air, Type of all that's fleet and fair Incarnate gem, Live diadem, Bird-beam of the summer day Whither on your sunny way? Loveliest of all lovely things, Roses open to your wings; Each gentle breast Would give you rest; Stay, forget lost Paradise, Star-bird, fallen from happy skies. Vanished! Earth is not his home; Onward, onward, must he roam, Swift passion-thought, In rapture wrought, Issue of the soul's desire Plumed with beauty and with fire. — John Vance Cheney.