432 



LAND BIRDS 



California Breeding Range : In Transition zone along the whole length of 



the Sierra Nevada. 

 Breeding Season : ]\Iay to August. 

 Nest: Willow down, covered with bits of bark, fastened securely with 



cobwebs ; built against a dried pine cone. 

 Eggs: 2 ; white. Size 0.46 X 0.31. 



436. Calliope Humming 



BIRD. 



It feeds upon the painted 



California is the land of hum- 

 mingbirds. Six varieties nest with- 

 in her borders, and two 

 others are recorded as mi- 

 grants ; while only one spe- 

 cies, the ruby-throated, is 

 found anywhere in the East. 

 Of the eight varieties reg- 

 istered from California the 

 smallest is the Calliope, 

 which is a common summer 

 visitant in the whole length 

 of the Sierra Nevada, breed- 

 ing in the higher altitudes 

 of the range, rarely below 

 four thousand feet. It 

 loves the mountain meadows and 

 woodlands, where it feeds upon 

 the painted cups, columbine, wild 

 hyacinths, gooseberries, and wild 

 currants. The nests are usually 

 saddled among the small cones of a 

 pine tree and are woven closely 

 to the cones, and so covered with 

 bits of bark and cone as to re- 



cups. 



