HUMMINGBIRDS 241 



air bill to bill, or shooting up and sweeping down apparently from 

 sheer exuberance of spirits. They seem to be always quarreling 

 among themselves, and when it comes to other species of their family 

 they attack and drive them off with promptness and decision. 



As soon as the last brood is out of the nest, Mr. Henshaw says, 

 the males, warned by the frosty nights and the decreasing supply of 

 food, start at once for their winter quarters, leaving the females and 

 young to follow later. 



434. Selasphorus alleni Henshw. Allen Hummingbird. 



Adult male. — similar to rufus, but whole back as well as crown bright 

 bronzy green, two outer tail feathers very nar- 

 row, and second from middle without notch or sin- 

 uation ; outer feather much less than .10 wide. 

 Adult female : similar to female riifus, but with i ^ 

 outer tail feathers not more than .10 nide. Male: 

 length ;125-3.30, wing- 1.50-1.55, tail 1. 10-1.20, 

 . exposed culmen .00-.65. Female : length 3.40, wing 



'^' '■ l.tiS-l.TO, tail 1.05-1.15. exposed culmen .(58-.70. 



Distribution. — Breeds in Transition and Upper Sonoran zones from 

 southern British Columbia south along the coast, and east to southern 

 Arizona ; migrates to Lower California and Sonora, Mexico. 



Nest. — A cup compactly made of plant down covered with green mosses, 

 usually placed on weed stalks, hedges, or bushes overhanging water. Eggs: 

 2, white. 



GENUS ATTHIS. 



435. Atthis morcomi Ridgw. Morcom Hum^ungbird. 



.Similar to Stellula, but tail feathers not inclining to spatulate, the outer 

 two or three broadly tipped with white in both sexes ; feathers of gorget 

 in male broader and without white bases. Adult male : unknown. Adult 

 female : upper parts bronzy green, becoming brownish on forehead ; tail 

 rufous at base, then, on middle feathers, green ; other feathers narrowly 

 green and then black, tipped witli white, white tip wanting on fourth 

 feather ; under parts white, with tear-shaped flecks of dusky green on 

 throat ; sides marked with black and rufous. 



Distribution. — The only specimen known came from the Huachuca 

 Mountains, Arizona. 



GENUS STELLULA. 



436. Stellula calliope Could. Calmoi-k Uimmingbikd. 



Six middle tail feathers contracted in the middle and widened at end ; 

 adult male witli featliers of cliin and throat narrow, those on the 

 outside of the ruif elongated ; bivse of ruff white. 



Adult male. — (xorget rose piirplisli, white bases giving effect 

 of streaking ; upper parts metallic green : tail feathers dusky, 

 bases edged w ith rufous, tip wider than b;ise ; under \y.irts wliite ; ^'P" '^*'* 

 sides tinged with brown and green. Adult f male : upi)er parts bronzy 

 green; tail rounded and tail featheis greenisli gray basally with touch of 

 rufous, black-baiuled, and tipped with wliite, except middle ])air, which 

 are green, ending in dusky. Youug : similar, but un<ler parts washed with 

 rufous, throat specked with dusky. Male : length 2.75-3.00, wing 1.50- 



