THE ALLEN HUMMINGBIRD. 



399 



The eggs, so far as has ever been recorded, are invariabl\' two in 

 miniber. They are immaculate milky white in color: and when freshly 

 laid the yolk makes them look like little pink moonstones, such as one 

 finds on the beach. In 

 shape they are elliptical, and 

 seem large for so 

 a bird, measuring . 

 inches. 



The young are 

 fed by regurgita- e.r 

 tion. For several 

 days after hatch- 

 ing their bills are |^| 

 little longer than g 

 those of any other ^ 

 young bird: but 

 by the time they 

 leave the nest, 

 their sword-like 

 beaks are nearly 

 as long as those 

 of theh" parents '""'"" """ ''^°"""'- p'""° ^J' "'■ ■^''"" D.m'snn. 



-J- TT p . , TREASURE TROVE F0r< THE HUMMER. 



\. in. riOW I.ES. COBWEBS ABE LARGELY UTILIZED IN THE BUILDING OE A HUMMINGBIRD'S NEST. 



No. 154. 



ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD. 



A. O. U. No. 434. Selasphorus alleni Hensh. 



Synonym. — GreEn-b.vcked RuFois HuMMiNCBiRn. 



Description. — Adult male: Similar to adult male of 5'. rtifus. but upperparts 

 shining bronzy green (duller on crown) ; underparts, including belly, cinnamon- 

 rufous, changing to white on chest only : tail-feathers without notching or 

 emargination, the two outer pairs smaller and very narrow, the outermost acicular. 

 Adult female: A'ery similar to adult male of S. rufiis. but with tail as in male 

 5". alleni. Length of adult male: 3.25 (82.6) : wing 1.32 (38.6) : tail 1.17 (29.7) ; 

 bill .63 (16). Female a little larger. 



Recognition Marks. — Pygmy size : fiery gorget with f/reeii back of male 

 unmistakable: female indistinguishable out of hand from that of ,9. rufus: outer- 

 most tail-feathers less than .10 wide. 



Nesting. — As in preceding. 



General Range. — Pacific Coast district north to southwestern British Colum- 



