1902] Saundrrs Canadian Hummingbirds. 99 



named, has found its nest at altitudes rang-ing from 10 to 90 feet 

 from the ground, and says that its courage is unsurpassed. 

 Once he saw a pair of these birds attack and drive away from the 

 neighbourhood a western Red-tailed Hawk. 



The Black-chinned Hummer has a very extensive range, from 

 the Pacific Ocean eastward as far as the Alberta foot hills, and from 

 Northern Mexico in the South at least as far as Banff in the Cana- 

 dian Rockies. It is one of the smallest birds of the tribe, and has 

 several pecularities more or less uncommon. 



With regard to the eggs, which do not materially differ from 

 those of the other species, a number of sets of three have been 

 taken, and once a set of two was found in a House Finch's nest 

 in New Mexico, without any apparent addition or alteration what- 

 ever. The throat of this species has the lower part dull iridescent 

 purple, and the upper part dull black, a peculiarity seldom seen 

 among these gaudy little birds. 



The Rufous Hummer has the widest range of any, breeding 

 over a distance of at least 2,500 miles north and south, and ranging 

 from Mt. St. Elias, Alaska, in latitude 61, down to the table lands 

 of Mexico. 



Its nest is usually of cotton covered with mosses, shreds of 

 bark and occasionally a few lichens. One nest contained three 

 eggs, and Capt. Bendire mentions that this is the only instance 

 he knows of, except those of the Black-chinned Hummer. 

 One nest found by Mr. A. W. Anthony at Beaverton, Oregon, 

 had been built on top of last year's nest, the lining having been 

 thickened to cover a pebble which had lodged therein and the 

 sides raised, but no apparent alteration had been made other- 

 wise. 



The Calliope is the smallest and, to my mind, the most beau- 

 tiful of all Canadian Hummers. The throat, instead of being cover- 

 ed with a solid block of iridescent colour, has elongated feathers of 

 ruby-purple in narrow streaks on the upper part, then forming a 

 band across the middle, and extending nearly half an inch farther 

 down on each side. The effect of this colouring is unique and 

 beautiful. 



