The following is from the pen of Wilson: "A nest of young humming-birds
was once brought to me that were nearly fit to fly; one of them flew
out of the nest and was killed. The other was fed with sugar and water,
into which it thrust its bill, sucking it with great avidity. I kept it
upwards of three months, feeding it on sugar and water; gave it fresh
flowers every morning, sprinkled with the liquid, and surrounded the
space in which I kept it with gauze, that it might not injure itself.
It appeared gay, active, and full of spirit, humming from flower to
flower, as if in its native wilds, and always expressed, by its motions
and chirping, great pleasure at seeing fresh flowers introduced into
its cage. Numbers of people visited it from motives of curiosity, and I
took every precaution to preserve it, if possible, through the winter.
Unfortunately, however, it got at large in the room, and, flying about,
so injured itself, that it soon after died."