354 SIIRIEIONG BIRDS — STRISORES. 



I observed none of this species in the Colorado A^'alley, and in comin" 

 westward first saw tliom along the Mojave Kiver on the 3d of June. I also 

 found one of their nests there, huilt in a dark willow thicket in a fork of a 

 tree about eight feet from the ground. I liave since found several more 

 nests near Santa Barbara, all of them Ijuilt near tlie end of hanging branches 

 of the sycamore (Platanus), constructed entirely of white down from the 

 willow or sycamore catkins, agglutinated by the bird's saliva, and attached 

 in the same way to tlie branch on which they rested. These were built in 

 April, and early in May I found several containing two white eggs, like those 

 laid by all humming-birds, oblong in shape, and alike at each end ; size 

 0.51 X 0.32. Dr. Heermann found their nests as far north as Sacramento, 

 and south to Guaymas. I have never seen the species in places exposed 

 to the cold sea-winds, where others are found. It is a less interesting and 

 conspicuous bird than the larger species found in this State, and probably 

 not often recognized, though its small size is alone sufficient to distinguish 

 it. I believe they go entirely beyond this State in winter, as I have seen 

 none at that season. ]\Ir. W. W. Holder has since obtained a specimen in 

 Colorado Valley, March 20. 



During the progress of the Northwestern Boundary Survey, ilr. J. K. 

 Lord, of the British Commission, was so fortunate as to find this si)ecies be- 

 tween the Cascade and Eocky Mountains, near lat. 49", where they arrived 



T. cohibris. Mah. 



towards the end of INIay, and frequented the vicinity of lakes, pools, and 

 swamps wlierc the liircli-tree grew. The sap exuding I'rom the bark of this 

 tree attracted nundjers of in.sects, on whicli this humming-bird chiefly fed. 

 He found the nests in higli forks of liranches of the birch or alder. 



This species is very closely allied to T. cohihris, the connnon liumming- 

 bird of tlie Eastern States, and the only one found east of the IJocky Aloun- 

 tains. The difference, consisting in the color of the chin and the shajie of 

 the tail, will be best expressed by the above figure. As will be seen, the 

 tail in the male is nearly even, or slightly rounded, instead of being de- 

 cidedly forked. The females of the two species are very similar, and can 

 scarcely be distingui.shed. Tlie locality will be the best indication, as the 

 one is confined to the region west of the Ilocky Mountains, and the otlier to 

 that east of the same Ean"e. 



