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, 3Ir. Henshaw says, 

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

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

 young to follow later. 



434. Selasphorus alleni Ilenshu-. Allen Hummingbikd. 



Adult male. — Similar to ritfus. but whole back as well as crown bright 

 bronzfi green, two outer tail feathers very nar- (ThnK 

 row, and second from middle without notch or sin- 'W/ni 

 uation ; outer feather much le.ss than .10 wide. y/Ifn 

 Adult female : similar to female rufus. but with f lYJ' 

 outer tail feathers not more than .10 wide. Male : „. ^ J^. 

 length ;;.L>.")-;J 80. wing- l..")0-l.."')."). tail 1. 10-1.20. ''"' 

 exposed culmen .OO-.O."). Female : length o.40. wing 

 l.Oij-l.TO. tail 1.05-1.1.5. exposed culmen .(i8-.T0. 

 Breeds in Transition and Upper JSonoran 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. Mokco.m Ih M.Mix(iHiRD. 



Similar to Stellula, but tail feathers not inclining to spatnlate, 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 l)ronzy green, becoming brownish on forehead ; tail 

 rufous at base, tlicn. on middle feathers, green ; other feathers narrowlv 

 green and then black, tipped with white, wliitn tip wanting on fourth 

 feather ; imder parts whit»^ with tear-sliaped Hecks of dusky green on 

 throat ; sides marked with black and rufous. 



Distribution. — The only specimen known i;im(> from the Huachuca 

 Mountains Arizona. 



Fig. 317. 

 Distribution. 



GENUS STELLULA. 



436. Stellula calliope doultl. Callioik IlrMMiN(;i'.iui). 



Siv middlt' tail ftatlicrs contracted in the niiddh' and widened 

 adult male with t'citlicrs of cliiu and throat narrow, those on the 

 outsidi- of thf ruiV elongated : base of ruff white. 



Adult nitdi'. — (lorget rose purplish, white b.ises giving effect 

 of streaking : up])er p.irts met.illic green ; t.iil feathers dusky, 

 bases edged with rufous, tip wider ih.in base : under part.s white ; 

 sides tinged with brown and gi-een. Adult fi male : uj)per ])art: 

 green; titil loinuled and tail featheis greeiii.sh gray b:isally with 

 rufous. l)l;iek-b;inded. and lipp-d with wliite. e.\<'ept middle pai 

 are green. cMuling in dusky )'iiiini/: .similar, but under parts w.is 

 rufou;;, throat spec kfd with dusky. Male: length L'.7">-.'>.<H). w i 



at end : 



