TKUCH1LIDJ2 — THE HUMMING-BIRDS. 453 



westward to the city, aud thence southward to Guatemala, while throughout 

 this region it is said to be very generally and very plentiiully distributed. 

 It was first taken, in 1851, by Mr. J. H. Clark, near El Paso, Te.xas. Sub- 

 sequently numerous specimens were seen by Dr. Cones on the summit of 

 Whipple's Pass of the Pocky Mountains, in July, feeding among clumps 

 of wild roses. It was not noticed near Fort Whipple, though the range 

 of this species is now well known to include New Mexico and Arizona, as 

 far north, at least, as Fort Bridger in Wyonung. It was i'nund breeding 

 abundantly in the vicinity of Fort Grant, Arizona, by Ih: Palmer. 



This Humming-Bird \\^as found by Mr. Allen more or less common among 

 the foot-hills, as well as among the mountains, of Colorado, and extending 

 several miles out on the plains. On Mount Lincoln, in Colorado, he found 

 it exceedingly numerous, and though larger and otherwise different from the 

 eastern Euby-throat, it might easily be mistaken i'or it. The shrill whistling 

 of its wings, he add.s, is a peculiarity one is sure to notice. This Humming- 

 Bird continued to be common on the sides of Mount Lincoln to far aljove 

 the timber line, being apparently as nnicli at home among the bright Howers 

 growing on the highest parts of the mountain as in the valleys. 



At Lake Talioe, at an elevation of six thousand feet, Dr. Cooper found 

 the young of tliis species quite common near the middle of September. 

 Sujjposing them to be the more common S. ru/us, he only obtained a single 

 specimen. He thinks that these birds extend their northern migrations as 

 far as the Blue Mountains, near Snake River, Oregon, and that they are the 

 ones referred to by ISTuttall as seen by him in autumn, and supposed to be 

 the mfvs. 



The nests of this species procured by Dr. Palmer were large for the size 

 of the bird, unusually broad and shallow, composed of soft downy pappus 

 from seeds of plants, and vegetable down, with the outer walls covered with 

 mosses and lichens. The eggs are not distinguishable from those of the 

 other species. 



The Pocky Mountain or Broad-tailed Hummer, according to Mr. Pidg- 

 way's observations, is the most abundant species in the Great Basin, though 

 he did not see it to recognize it west of the East Humboldt Mountains. It 

 is essentially a bird of the mountains, since in that region there are few 

 flowers elsewhere ; yet in the gardens of Salt Lake City, an altitude far below 

 its usual habitat, it was abundant. Its favorite resorts are the flowery 

 slopes of the higher and well-watered mountain-ranges of the Great Basin 

 and Pocky IVIountain system, at an average elevation of about eight or 

 nine thousand leet, yet it will be found wherever Howers are abundant. 

 Mr. Ridgway saw one at an altitude of about twelve thousand feet, in July, 

 on the East Humboldt ^Mountains, but it merely passed rapidly by him. In 

 the Wahsatch ilountains, particularly in the neighborhood of Salt Lake 

 City, this species was most plentiful. It there nested abundantly in the 

 scrub-oaks ou the hills or .slopes of the canons. 



