THE CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD. 401 



No. 155. 



CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD. 



A. O. U. No. 436. Stellula calliope Gould. 



Synonyms. — CALi.iorK Hummer. Star Hummer. 



Description. — Jdult male: Upperparts golden-green ; tail chiefly dusky, 

 rufous at base, paler on tips, slightly double-rounded, its feathers broadening dis- 

 tally and nearly round at tips : sides of throat and underparts white, washed 

 with greenish and lirownish on sides; gorget somewhat produced laterally, of 

 lengthenefl acuminate feathers having white bases, rose-purple, or violet, with 

 lilac reflections. Bill straight, black above, yellowish below. Jdiilt female: 

 Coloration of upperparts, save tail, as in male ; central tail-feathers green tipped 

 with dusky ; remaining rectrices greenish gray mingled with rufous basally. 

 crossed with black, and tipped with white. Young birds resemble adult female 

 but are heavily washed with rufous below and have throat more or less specked 

 with dusky. Length of adult male: 2.75-3.00 (69.9-76.2); wing 1.55 (39.4); 

 tail 1. 00 ( 25.41 ; bill .^y ( 14.5 1. Female nnicli larger — u|i to 3.50 (88.9). 



Recognition Marks. — Pygmy size ; the smallest of the northern ranging 

 species; gorget of male with radiating feathers of rose-purple hue distinctive, but 

 female hard to discriminate afield. 



Nesting. — Much as in other species. Av. size of Eggs: .47 x .30 (ii.gx 

 7.6). Season: June or July according to altitude; one brood. 



General Range. — Breeding in the mountains of the West, north to central 

 British Cnlunibia; south in winter to the mountains of Mexico. 



Range in Washington. — Summer resident, chieflv in Transition and Canadi- 

 an zones, east of the Cascailes. and in these mountains to the limit of trees. Mr. 

 Lawrence's record remains unique for the ^^'est-side, but the bird probably breeds 

 in the ( )lympics also. 



Authorities. — ? Lawrence, .\uk. \'ol. IX. Tan. 1892, p. 44. Bendire. Life 

 Hist. N. A. Birds, Vol. II. 1895, P- 219. L'. D^ J. B. 



Specimens. — P'. C. 



ORNITHOLOGISTS ha\-e been hard put to it to provide names for 

 these most exquisite of birds, the Hummers. The realms of callilithology, 

 chromatics, esthetics, astronomy, history, classical m^'tholog}', and a score 

 beside, have been laid mider tribute to secure such fanciful and high-soimding 

 titles as the Fiery To]iaz, Ruhy-and-Topaz. Allied Emerald, Red-throated 

 Sapphire. Sparkling-tail, White-booted Racket-tail. Fork-tailed Rainbow, the 

 Sappho Comet, the Circe, Rivoli and Lucifer Hummers, the Adorable 

 Coquette, and, last Init not least, the tinil}- Marvelous Hummingbird I Loddi- 

 gesia niirabilis ) . What wonder, then, that with so man\' children to provide 

 for, Gould, the great monographer of the Trochilida:. sluiukl have named 



