252 Birds of Colorado 



b. Tail-feathers rufous on basal half. 



ai Outer tail-feathers about -25 across, very little if any rufovis 



on the flanks. S. platycercus, ? p. 25:5. 



b^ Outer tail-feathers narrower, about "12 across ; flanks and 



under tail-coverts washed with rufous. S. rufus, ? p. 255. 



Genus ARCHITROCHILUS. 



Bill long, slender and black ; nostrils concealed ; wing v. ith the outer 

 primary incurved and scimitar-shaped ; tail forked in the male, the 

 feathers lanceolate and pointed, but not specially narrowed ; in the 

 female rounded and white-tipped ; male with a metallic gorget, pro- 

 duced and elongated at the corners ; no rufous about the plumage. 



Two species in the United States ; the Ruby-throat of the east does 

 not normally come further west than eastern Nebraska and Kansas, 

 but may possibly stray to Colorado. 



Black-chinned Humming-bird. Architrochilus alexandri. 



A.O.U. Checklist no 429 — Colorado Records — Morrison 86, p. 153 ; 

 88, p. 107 ; 89, p. 146 ; Bendire 92, p. 198 ; Cooke 97, pp. 86, 208. 



Description. — Male — Above golden-green ; wings dusky ptirpUsh, 

 below grey, greenish at sides ; throat velvety -black becoming iridescent 

 violet posteriorly ; tail forked about •! ; tail-feathers pointed. Length 

 3.25 ; wing 1>65 ; tail 1-1 ; culmen -7. 



The female has no gorget, the throat sometimes with dusky spots ; 

 tail rounded, all but the central feathers dusky purplish with terminal 

 bands of white ; wing 1'9. 



Distribution. — Western North America from southern British 

 Columbia to western Texas and Sonera, wintering to southern Mexico. 



The Black-chinned Himmiing-bird is confined to the south-west and 

 western portions of Colorado. Morrison found it fairly common and 

 breeding in La Plata co. about Fort Lewis ; a fine male was taken 

 near Glenwood Springs in 1898 by Wilham Cross. These are the only 

 definite records for the State. 



Habits. — ^Morrison states he was shown a nest con- 

 taining three eggs ; this is unusual, as Humming-birds 

 almost invariably lay but two eggs. 



Genus SELASPHORUS. 

 Nostrils concealed ; wing with the outer or two outer primaries 

 strongly attenuated and bowed in the male, less so in the female ; tail 

 rounded or graduated, not forked ; male with a gorget not produced 



