Ad99998 04 043a/eng
Baumläufer und Colibris
Beschreibungstext eng
Birds. LVI. Vol. IV. No. 41., TREE-CREEPERS AND HUMMING BIRDS, Fig. 1. The Wall-Creeper. (Certhia muraria.), X jbe WâZl-creeper or spider-catcher belongs to the tribe of the tree-crepers and dérives its name from its creeping on the walls, as the common creeper does on the tree«, in quest of spiders and other insects whicli they both live upon. This beautifnl bird is of a folitary dispofition and found lonely in Italy, France and the middle parts of Germany. It builds its rieft in hollow trees or the rifts of walls, but especially in Church-yards and the hollow fkulls in the Charnel -houfes, whence it is also sometimes called in Germany the death's bird. It is about the lïze of a fparrow., Fig. 2. The darkgreen Treecreeper. (Certhia obscura.), This pretty bird is met with on the SandwichIslands in the Pacifick Océan or Southfea. Its beautiful dark-green feathers are in great request among the islanders who ufe them in their diess. It is highly remarkable for its falcated bilî and iîs tougue which is befet ail over with haïr like a brufh and serves to fetch the insects ont of the tree-rifts or to lu ck%the honey of the fîower-cups., Fig. 3. The blue brasilian creeper. (Certhia cyanea.), This species ihhabits generQÎty the southern parts of America and is on account of its glittering black and blue feathers one of the most beautiful birds of those parts of the world. It also feeds upon insects and the juice of flowers., Fig. 4. The Cardinal. (Certhia Cardinalis.), This fine-coloured creeper is found upon the islands of the South-fea and dérives its name from the brillant high red colour of its plumage, the beauty of which is Mil more augmente:! by the black feathers of its wings and tail. It does not, like the other creepers, live on insects, but entirely upon the juice of flowers., Fig. 5. The elegant Humming-bird. (Trochilus ornatus.), Fig. 6. The ruby-headed Hummingbird. (Trochilus moschitus.), We know from N. 9. of the I, Vol. of our Picture-Gallery the Humming-birds as the smalleft and most beautiful kind of birds. They consist of 70 différent species, which are only found in the hot régions of America, in the East-Indies and Afrika. They live on the honey which they extract with their tender bills from the flower-cups. The hère represented species which are only three incites long, are especially remarkable for their beautiful plumage. That of Nr. 5. is called the elegant on account of the beautiful crefts that adorn its Cheeks and the top of its head. N. 6. is nained the ruhy-headed, because its head and neck glitter like a ruby. Both the species occur only in South-Amerika. étfâM.