1899.1 VAN DENBURGH — BIRDS OF SANTA CLARA CO., CAL. 165 



taining young birds as late as July 4 (1890). It is probable, there- 

 fore, that they raise more than one brood each year. The nests 

 are beautiful structures, often so covered with lichens as to be 

 very well disguised. This is especially apt to be the case when the 

 nests are built in deciduous oaks. Other trees commonly used by 

 these birds for nesting purposes are the live oak, Monterey cypress, 

 pines, bay and eucalyptus. Late in the season they seem to prefer 

 trees growing near or even overhanging running water. I have 

 never seen the males take any part in nest building or in rearing 

 the young. Indeed, they are almost never to be seen near the nests, 

 ■seeming to prefer to spend their time perched upon an exposed 

 twig in some lonely situation, or in making war upon their fellows. 

 When attacking other birds they usually rise to a considerable 

 'height and then drop straight down as if to strike the enemy. 

 When a few inches above the victim, however, they suddenly turn 

 and rise again to the original position, giving vent, at the moment 

 ■of turning, to a sharp rasping squeak, which has much the same 

 effect on the enemy as the sudden click of a gunlock. In this way 

 they vanquish even the jays. 



I once saw two males of this species performing a curious sort 

 •of dance. They perched upon dead twigs, perhaps thirty feet 

 apart and about half this distance from the ground, as if about to 

 attack each other. Instead of doing so, however, they continually 

 exchanged places, passing one another without any show of hos- 

 tility, and meanwhile uttering their peculiar rasping song. This 

 performance was continued during about fifteen minutes. 



While feeding from flowers they frequently steady vhemselves in 

 the air by holding with one or both feet to some twig or leaf. In 

 feeding from certain plants, as the hibiscus, where the tube of the 

 flower is too long to allow of their reaching its base in the ordinary 

 way, these humming birds habitually plunge their bills through the 

 under surface of the corolla near its base. They eat multitudes of 

 small flies, either catching them in the air or, at times, picking 

 them off the bark of trees where they have been attracted by exud- 

 ing sap. 



They are very fond of bathing, and for this purpose usually 

 select a stream so small and shallow that they can stand in the 

 water. Standing thus they dip first one side of the face and then 

 the other in the stream in an indescribably graceful and dainty 

 manner. Having thoroughly soaked themselves they dart to some 



PROC. AMER. PHILOS. SOC. XXXYIII. 160. L. PRINTED JAN. 29, 1900. 



