XANTUS'3 HUMMINGBIRD 451 



to the falling water. Besides tbe birds busily batliing, there were as many 

 more sitting around on the bushes, drying themselves. 



Towards dark, in the winter time, the adult males have a habit of perching 

 on some dead twig, and there, remaining motionless for a considerable period, 

 give themselves up to song, uttering at regular short intervals their quite 

 pleasing little tune. During the heavy tropical rains of that region the hum- 

 mingbirds would disappear, but the minute the rain ceased they would be out 

 again. These birds love the pines and live oaks of the high mountain regions, 

 and are to be seen at all hours of the day hunting around those trees for the 

 minute insects that constitute their food. 



They seem to be of gentle disposition, though they do not permit the too 

 close proximity of another species while feeding or at their nests. They are 

 tame, but not so much so that the brooding female will ever allow a person 

 to touch her. At most any time, a little squeak will bring one or two birds 

 buzzing around one's head. When I had my work table out under the oaks the 

 hummingbirds seemed much interested in my work, buzzing around the table 

 and inspecting my instrument box. I had a fluff of cotton hanging nearby, 

 which they soon learned made excellent nest building material. 



Enemies. — Mr. Lamb (1925) says that ravens are very common in 

 the Cape region of Baja California and are very destructive; one was 

 caught in the very act of destroying a hummingbird's nest that he 

 had just examined. 



Field marks. — The only hummingbird with which Xantus's is 

 hkelj^ to be confused is the Avhite-eared, as both have the white 

 postocular stripe ; but, fortunately, their ranges do not overlap. The 

 adult male xantusi is easily recognized by its blue-black face, white 

 postocular stripe, bright metallic-green throat, cinnamon-rufous 

 under parts, largely chestnut tail, and reddish bill. The female is 

 similar but with no black on the head, no green on the throat, and 

 has a black bill and a buffy postocular stripe. The yomig are similar 

 to the adult female, though the young male may have the throat 

 flecked with green. 



DISTKIBUnON 



Range. — The southern half of the peninsula of Baja California; 

 noiunigratory. This species is normally found from about the central 

 part of this Mexico State (Purissima) south to the cape district 

 (San Jose del Cabo). A specimen was collected at Todos Santos z 

 Island off the northern part of the west coast on November 14, 1923. fo^ 

 There are no records for the United States. ^ "V 



Egg dates. — Lower California (lowlands) : 12 records. April 5 to *J**^ 



Lower California (mountains) : 14 records, July 19 to August 5. 



Mr. Lamb (1925) says that at Comodu they must start nesting in 

 February and that in the Laguna Valley they probably nest from 

 July 15 to September 15. 



