123 RUBY-THROATED HUMMING-BIRD. Tuts is an American species, and a beautiful one, where all are beautiful. “Never was I more excited to wonder than by one of these little creatures,” says Captain Head, in his “Forest Scenes;” so much more ° resembling a splendid shining insect than a bird. It was on a fine day at the commencement of an American summer, on the banks of Lake Huron, that I first beheld them. Beautiful birds were drinking, and splashing themselves in the water; and gaudy butterflies, of a very large size, were fanning the air with their yellow and black wings. At this moment a little blazing meteor shot, like a glowing coal of fire, across the glen; and I saw for the first time, with admiration and astonishment, what in a moment I recognised—that resplendent living gem, the humming-bird!” A very complete account of this species is given by Wilson, the celebrated American ornithologist, who informs us that the humming-bird usually arrives in Pennsylvania about the 25th. of April, and about the 10th. of May begins to build its nest. This is generally fixed on the upper side of a horizontal branch, not among the twigs, but on the body of the branch itself. The branch is seldom more than ten feet from the ground. The nest is about an inch in diameter, and as much in depth. The outward coat is formed of small pieces of a species of a bluish grey lichen, that vegetates on old trees and fences, giving firmness and consistency to the whole; within this are thick matted layers of the fine wings of certain flying sceds, closely laid together.