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第11课 |
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蜂鸟是世界上最美丽的鸟，它生活在西印度和南美大陆，细小玲珑的脑袋上长着闪闪发光的羽冠，就像戴着五颜六色的王冠。
彩色的羽毛装点着它的前胸，如此光彩夺目。它和其他鸟一样，从一个物体掠过另一个物体，那不像是有生命的东西，倒更像是阳光在闪烁。
也许你会问，为什么叫它蜂鸟呢？因为它在飞的时候，翅膀会迅速扇动，并发出柔和、嗡嗡的声音。它的翅膀扇动得非常快，以至于它在飞的时候你只能看到它们的翅膀。
一天，我在树林中散步时，发现了一个最小的蜂鸟所筑的巢。它大概有一只小鸡蛋的一半那么大，附着在一根比织针还细的嫩树枝上。
它看起来像是由棉絮组成的，上面覆盖着柔软的小树叶和树皮。巢里面有两只蜂鸟蛋，它们相当洁白，每只蛋大概只有小块方糖那么大。
当你接近蜂鸟巢的时候，千万得当心，蜂鸟妈妈可能向你猛冲过来，啄伤你的眼睛。它那非常锋利的鸟喙可能会对你的眼睛造成严重伤害，甚至使你失明。
这可怜的小东西不知道用其他方法来保护自己的孩子，它的本能告诉自己，你们接近它的目的就是为了带走它的巢。
The most beautiful humming birds are found in the West Indies and South America.The crest ofthe tiny head ofone ofthese shines like a sparkling crown of colored light.
The shades of color that adorn its breast, are equally brilliant.As the bird flits from one object to another, it looks more like a bright flash ofsunlight than it does like a living being.
But, you ask, why are they called humming birds?It is because they make a soft, humming noise by the rapid motion of their wings — a motion so rapid, that as they fly you can only see that they have wings.
One day when walking in the woods, I found the nest ofone ofthe smallest humming birds.It was about halfthe size ofa very small hen's egg, and was attached to a twig no thicker than a steel knitting needle.
It seemed to have been made ofcotton fibers, and was covered with the softest bits ofleaf and bark.It had two eggs in it, quite white, and each about as large as a small sugarplum.
When you approach the spot where one ofthese birds has built its nest, it is necessary to be careful.The mother bird will dart at you and try to peck your eyes.Its sharp beak may hurt your eyes most severely, and even destroy the sight.
The poor little thing knows no other way of defending its young, and instinct teaches it that you might carry offits nest ifyou could find it.