Identifier: camerastudiesofw1911reed (find matches)
Title: Camera studies of wild birds in their homes
Year: 1911 (1910s)
Authors: Reed, Chester A, (Chester Albert. 1876-1912
Subjects: Birds Photography
Publisher: Boston : W.B. Clarke Co.
Contributing Library: Boston Public Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Public Library

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t. Much was learned, but knowledgeso gained does not compare in value with that obtained whenthe possessive instinct is ignored. There is a very prevalent idea that Hummingbirds subsistentirely upon the honey or nectar of flowers; such a dietwould soon ruin the digestive organs of any kind of bird orbeast. As a matter of fact, nectar forms a very small per-centage of hummingbird food. Instead of sipping thehoney from the flowers they visit, they usually are engagedin the very useful occupation of eating the many tiny in-sects that gather in such places. It is well known that mostflowers that secrete nectar are partially or wholly dependentupon certain insects to carry pollen from one blossom to thestigma of another and so eflfect cross-fertilization; theseuseful insects are usually large, long-tongued ones like bees,moths and butterflies. So in destroying the tiny insects,hummingbirds perform a service to the plants by removingpilfering insects that do no good, and to mankind also. 92
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93 I have always believed that nests of this hummingbirdcontain a greater amount of labor, are better made and arevery much more beautiful than nests of any other kinds ofbirds. I have had many excellent opportunities to watchthem during their home-building. One day I saw a hummer buzzing about under someferns, within a few inches of the ground; she was gatheringthe soft, downy wool that sheathes the young fronds and isoften left hanging to the stems of older ferns. When shehad a tiny load of this in her slender bill, she whizzed awaywith it; fortunately I was able to keep track of her rapidflight and saw her land on a limb about twenty feet aboveground. She had just commenced her work, barely enoughof the future nest showing to be seen with the field glasses. She was quite industrious but she only gathered tinyloads at a time and it took her quite a long while to find thematerial, so that building was a very slow operation. Atthe end of three days, the walls of the nest had just com-

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