"Sure enough, there' Is Esstee
Alley," squeaked the male bird, dart
ing away, straight as an arrow, his
tiny body aquiver with excitement
Everywhere they found tho gladi
olus, flaunting the big flowers the hum
ming birds love beet, the six petals
invitingly open. ,So Mr. and Mrs.
Trochilus Colubris, otherwise known
as ruby-throat humming birds, de
cided to build them a nest.
Somewhere in a tree they have
built it but no man knows where.
Undoubtedly it is a email cup-shaped
affair, like a tennis ball cut In two,
but much smaller, and covered on
the outside with lichen, so that it
exactly resembles the limb of the
tree on which it is placed.
If It does not balance well In the
wind probably the Old Man will
carry up a few small pebbles to
weight in down on ono side. There
will be two very small eggs to that
nest If they are not there now, pure
white In color.
When the little ones are hatched
they will be no larger than one of
the burly bumblebees that dispute
with the parents possession of the
gladiolus blossoms. The baby hum
ming birds will be quite naked and
absolutely blind, but will shortly take
on feathers and acquire the use of
their eyes.
Will any one In Esstee Alley be
fdrtunate enough to see the brood?
*** • *
The gladiolus to the one sure-fire
halt for attracting humming birds
| WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILUAM WILE.
