TROCHILIDJi — THE HUMMING-BIRDS — SELASPHORUS. 357 



Valley, I did not see this species along tlie Colorado, and am inclined to 

 think that it is replaced in most parts of the interior by the next species. 



Mr. J. K. Lord, in his interesting " Naturalist in British Culuniljia," etc., 

 published 1866, mentions the first arrival of this species at the " Little 

 Spokan llivei-," near lat. 49°, early in ]\Iay, together with the CulUopc, and 

 confirms the statement that they come simultaneously with the flowering 

 of the Rihcs sanguincum, which seems to be two months later east of the 

 Cascade Eange than on Wliidljy's Island. He found the nests usually in 

 a low shrub, and close to a rippling stream. The females of all the species 

 arrived about a week behind the males. 



Selasphorus platycercus, Swainson. 



THE BBOAD-TAILED HTJMMING-BIED. 



Trochilus j)Iali/cercus, Sw.iiNSON, Phil. Majj. I. 1827,441. — Se/asphorus plati/cerciis, Gould, 

 Mon. Trocli. 1852. — B.\ird, P. R. Kcp. IX. Birds, 135. In. U. S. and Mcx. Bound. 

 Surv. II. iii. 6; pi. V. f. 1, 2. (El Pnso, Texas.) 



Oniisniia tricolor, Lessox, Colibris, 125; pi. xiv. — Jardine, Nat. Lib. II. 77 ; pi. xiii. — 

 Ornismia moiitana, Lesson, Troch. 161 ; pis. 63 and 163, 64 (young), 1831. 



Sp. Cii.\r. Outer primaries greatly attenuated at the end. Outer tail feather nearly 

 linear, but widening a little from the base ; its width 0.20 of an ineh. Tail slightly gi'adu- 

 ated and emarginated. Male above and on the sides metallic green ; chin and throat light 

 reddish-purple, behind which, and along the belly to the tail, is a good deal of white. 



AVings and tail dusky purplish ; the tail feathers, e.xcepting the internal and external 

 ones,' edged tow.irds the base with light cinnamon. Length, .3.75 ; extent, 4.75; wing, 

 1.90 ; tail, 1.40. Rill, gape, 0.80. Iris brown ; bill and feet black. 



Hah. Rocky Mountains, to lat. 42" ; west to Sierra Nevada, and south to jMexico. 



At Lake Tahoe, over six thousand feet alcove the sea, I found the young 

 of this species quite common near tlie middle of September, but .sup])osing 

 them to lie the S. rnfiis, obtained only one specimen. It prol}ably extends 

 nortli to the Blue IMountains, near Snake Eiver, Oregon, and is referred to 



