下载掌阅APP，畅读海量书库
立即打开
LESSON 5
UNDER the shade of a tree, at the end of one of the twigs, hangs a tiny little nest. It swings in the air, and is as light as a feather; for it is made chiefly of moss and down.
It is very snug; and within it lie two tiny eggs, of the size of peas, and as white as snow.
Watch a moment, and we shall see what bird it is that has built the nest; for she has only gone to have a sip of honey. It is a lovely place to watch in. Flowers scent
the air. Yonder is a deep wood; and strange flowers of every shape and size grow all about. Some are like monkeys, some like bees, some like butterflies. These flowers are called orchids. They grow in England, only not nearly so large as in warm countries.
Hark! the bird is coming. It is the smallest bird in the whole world. Its body is no bigger than a hazel-nut. But its feathers are more lovely than I can describe.
It has a green crest on its head, which sparkles
like a little star. The colours on its body are green, and gold, and purple. You can scarcely tell where one ends and another begins.
If you look about, you will see more of these little creatures. They are called humming-birds, and live in hot countries, —in India, as well as in America. The woods and groves are alive with them. They flash about here and there, clad in all the colours of the rainbow. The eye is never tired of watching them.
The humming-bird in the picture is sitting on its eggs, to hatch its young ones. When the mother bird is tired, her mate
comes and takes her place. Then up she springs, and darts away into the woods, where she chooses
some flower that has honey in it.
As she hovers
in the air, she moves her wings about so quickly that you can hardly see them. Her wings make a humming sound as she hovers over the flower; and it is from this that she gets her name.
But she is thinking now about the insects.
There are a great many of these, hidden at the bottom of the fl ower. She soon spies them out, and she darts her long tongue into the midst of them. Some insects stick to it; for the tongue is sticky, as if it had been rubbed with glue. The insects are drawn into her mouth; she swallows them, and then darts out her tongue for more.
All this time, she is hovering over the flower, and humming with her wings. When she has had enough of insects, she sips a little honey, and fl ies back to her nest.
Of what is the nest of the humming-bird made? Where does it hang? What is the size of the bird? In what kind of countries do they live? What is the humming-bird in the picture doing? Who takes her place when she is tired? What causes the humming? What do these birds feed upon?
feath´-er monk´-eys scarce´-ly rain´-bow hid´-den
chief´-ly but´-ter-fl ies crea´-tures pic´-ture swal´-lows
flow´-ers or´-chids col´-ours quick´-ly e-nough´
