Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 February 1913 — How Humming-Birds Bathe. [ARTICLE]

How Humming-Birds Bathe.

Not being acquainted with the bathing habits of humming-birds, says Katherine E. Dolbear in the Atlantic Monthly, I put out an abalone shell as the most artistic bathing-dish 1 could And; but never to my knowledge did she pay the least attention to it. One morning, in the midst of a shower, however, she crouched down on the wet blade of a dogwood leaf, and her rapidly fluttering wings spattered the rain-drops in every direction. She went from leaf to leaf until she had succeeded in getting her feathers very wet; then she perched on a twig, shoott off the drops, and carefully preened her feathers. It is not improbable that, in the abseaee of rain, humming-birds use t£e dewdrops In early morning. In closer oaptivity, the bird bathed in a gladiolus blossom. Hereafter a pitcherplant is to be used. A humming-bird that was accustomed to drinking Bweetened water from a spoon one day found water in the spoon, instead of sweets, whereupon she at once alighted on the edge and took a bath.