HUMMINGBIRDS 



183 



1 luniniiiigbirds arc found only in llic Amer- 

 icas, but only one, the Ruby-throated, inh.ibits 

 the eastern United States. It is a dainty little 

 atom of bird-life, and is of exquisite beauty. No 

 otiier bird can be mistaken for it. its nearest 

 counterpart in nature being the sphinx moth that 

 sometimes comes about flowers of summer even- 

 ings. One usually sees this liird when like a 

 great iridescent bee it whizzes across the yard, 

 or pauses before the nectar-bearing flowers of 

 the garden. The wings beat with a rapidity no 

 eye can follow — no camera record. 



A great part of the time the llunuuingbird 

 perches on the Hmbs of trees or less frequently 

 on telephone wires. From its perch it makes 

 frequent trips to nearby feeding grounds only 

 to return shortly and resume its usual occupa- 

 tion of alternately preening its feathers and 

 gazing about the landscape. 



The nest is a wonderful creation of plant 

 down, covered with lichens and bound together 

 with spider web or fine plant libers. It is about 

 the size of an F.nglish walnut and is saddled on 

 a small limb from twelve to thirtv feet from 

 the ground. The young are fed usuallv on the 

 semi-digested remains of minute insects which 

 the parents regurgitate for the comfort of the 

 nestlings. 



These Hummingbirds winter to a limited num- 



ber in south Morida. The bulk of them, how- 

 ever, go farther south. In the autumn nights 

 these little birds launch out across the Gulf of 

 Mexico straight for Yucatan or Central America. 

 Tliis incredible journey of not less than 500 

 miles is mafic without a single stoj) for food or 

 rest. T. GiLUKKT Pk.\rson. 



Photo by H. K. Job Courtesy of Outing. Pub. Co. 



RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD PUMPING FOOD 

 INTO THE MOUTH OF THE YOUNG BIRD 



BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD 

 Archilochus alexandri (Boiircicr and Miilsant) 



A. O. U. Number 429 



Other Name. — Black-chinned Hummer. 



General Description. — Length : male, 334 inches ; 

 female, 4 inches. Upper parts, bronze-green ; under 

 parts, grayish-white. 



Color. — .'\dult M.\le : .'Vbove. rather dull metallic 

 bronze-green, darker and duller on crown ; the fore- 

 head, sometimes, dull dusky: wings, dark brownish- 

 slate, or dusky, faintly glossed with purple; tail (except 

 middle pair of feathers), bronzy purplish-black; lores, 

 ear region and cheeks, chin, uf'/'er throat, and sides of 

 throat, uniform of ague or velvety-black ; lozfer throat, 

 inelallic violet or violet-purple; chest, dull grayish- 

 white or very pale brownish-gray; the under parts of 

 body, similar, but usually more decidedly grayish 

 centrally ; the sides and flanks, darker and glossed or 



overlaid with metallic bronze or bronze-green ; under 

 tail-coverts, brownish-gray; tufts on the thighs and on 

 each side of rump, white ; bill, dull black ; iris, dark 

 brown. Adult Fem.m.e: Similar to the male but with 

 under parts, dull white or grayish-white (more purely 

 white on abdomen and under tail-coverts), the throat 

 sometimes streaked or spotted with dusky. 



Nest and Eggs. — Nest : On horizontal limb or in 

 the fork of small twigs; constructed of the down found 

 on the lower side of sycamore leaves; resembles a 

 small round yellow sponge. Eggs : 2, pure white. 



Distribution. — Western North .America; breeds from 

 British Columbia to northern Lower California and 

 northern Mexico and from the Pacific to western 

 Montana and central Texas; winters in western Mexico. 



