Hum"ming (?), a. Emitting a murmuring sound; droning; murmuring;
buzzing.
Hum"ming, n. A sound like that made by bees; a low, murmuring sound; a
hum.
Hummingale, lively or strong ale. Dryden. -- Humming bird (Zoˆl.), any
bird of the family TrochilidÊ, of which over one hundred genera are
known, including about four hundred species. They are found only in
America and are most abundant in the tropics. They are mostly of very
small size, and are noted for their very brilliant colors and peculiar
habit of hovering about flowers while vibrating their wings very
rapidly with a humming noise. They feed both upon the nectar of flowers
and upon small insects. The common humming bird or ruby-throat of the
Eastern United States is Trochilus colubris. Several other species are
found in the Western United States. See Calliope, and Ruby-throat. --
Humming-bird moth (Zoˆl.), a hawk moth. See Hawk moth, under Hawk, the
bird.
Hum"mock (?), n. [Prob. a dim. of hump. See Hump.] 1. A rounded knoll
or hillock; a rise of ground of no great extent, above a level surface.