A gentleman who resided some time on one of the West India Islands informs us that while he was once travelling along the bed of a deep ravine overhung with thick vines, he was actually startled by the immense numbers of humming birds which hovered over and about him. They hovered about him as if actuated by curiosity alone. They were of various kinds and colors, some of them being nearly as large as sparrows, while others were but little larger than a bee. Some were of a dingy green, or a light brown, while others seemed gaudily arrayed in plumage as brilliant and variegated as the rainbow. They would approach within arms length of his face, and pausing in their flight, with their little wings, in rapid motion, would stare at him as if they wondered what possible business he could have in those remote wilds; but they exhibited no symptoms of terror, not having been taught by experience to fear the cruelty of man. * * * * * THE NEW YORK SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN: _Published Weekly at_ 128 _Fulton Street_., (_Sun Building_,) _New York_. BY MUNN & COMPANY. The SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN is the Advocate of Industry and Journal of Mechanical and other Improvements: as such its contents are probably more varied and interesting, than those of any other weekly newspaper in the United States, and certainly more useful. It contains as much interesting Intelligence as six ordinary daily papers, while for _real benefit_, it is unequalled by any thing yet published. Each number regularly contains from THREE to SIX ORIGINAL ENGRAVINGS, illustrated by NEW INVENTIONS, American and Foreign,--SCIENTIFIC PRINCIPLES and CURIOSITIES,--Notices of the progress of Mechanical and other Scientific Improvements, Scientific Essays on the principles of the Sciences of MECHANICS, CHEMISTRY and ARCHITECTURE,--Catalogues of American Patents,--INSTRUCTION in various ARTS and TRADES, _with engravings_,--Curious Philosophical Experiments,--the latest RAIL ROAD INTELLIGENCE in EUROPE and AMERICA,--Valuable information on the Art of GARDENING, &c. &c. This paper is especially entitled to the patronage of MECHANICS and MANUFACTURERS, being devoted to the interests of those classes. It is particularly useful to FARMERS, as it will not only apprise them of IMPROVEMENTS in AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS, but INSTRUCT them in various MECHANICAL TRADES, and guard against impositions. As a FAMILY NEWSPAPER, it will convey more USEFUL Intelligence to children and young people, than five times its cost in school instruction. Being published in QUARTO FORM, it is conveniently adapted to PRESERVATION and BINDING. TERMS.--The Scientific American is sent to subscribers in the country at the rate of $2 a year, ONE DOLLAR IN ADVANCE, the remainder in 6 months. Persons desiring to subscribe, have only to enclose the amount in a letter, directed to MUNN & COMPANY, Publishers of the Scientific American, New York.