446 NOKTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



The outer three feathers green at base, then black, and tipped with white ; the fourth 

 green and black ; the fifth green, with a dusky shade at end ; all, except central, edged 

 internally at base with rufous. The under mandible is paler at base than elsewhere, but 

 not yellowish-white as in the male. ^ 



Hab. Mountains of Washington Territory, Oregon, and California, to Northern 

 Mexico. East to East Humboldt Mountains (Ridgway) ; Fort Tejon (Xantus) ; Fort 

 Crook (Feilner). 



The male bird is easily distinguished from other North American species 

 by its very small size, the snowy-white bases of the elongated loose throat- 

 feathers, and by the shape of the tail, as also the absence, at least in the 

 several males before us, of decided metallic green on the central tail-feathers. 

 The females resemble those of A. heloism most closely, but have longer bills 

 and wings, broader tail-feathers, and their rufous confined to the edges, 

 instead of crossing the entire basal portion. Selasphorus platycercus and rufus 

 are much larsfer, and have tails marked more as in A. lieloiscn. 



Habits. This interesting species was first met with as a Mexican Hum- 

 ming-Bird, on the high table-lands of that republic, by Signer Floresi. His 

 specimens were obtained in the neighborhood of the Eeal del Monte mines. 

 As it was a comparatively rare bird, and only met with in the winter 

 months, it was rightly conjectured to be only a migrant in that locality. 



This species is new to the fauna of North America, and was first brought 

 to the attention of naturalists by Mr. J. K. Lord, one of the British com- 

 missioners on the Northwest Boundary Survey. It is presumed to be a 

 mountain species, found in the highlands of British Columbia, Washington 

 Territory, Oregon, California, and Northern Mexico. 



Early in May Mr. Lord was stationed on the Little Spokan Eiver, super- 

 intending the building of a bridge. Tlie snow was still remaining in patches, 

 and no flowers were in bloom except the brilliant pink Ribes, or flowering 

 currant. Around the blossoms of this shrub he found congregated quite a 

 number of Humming-Birds. The bushes seemed to him to literally gleam 

 with their flashing colors. They were all male birds, and of two species ; 

 and upon obtaining several of both they proved to be, one the Selasphorus 

 ri'.fus, the other the present species, one of the smallest of Humming-Birds, 

 and in life conspicuous for a frill of minute pinnated feathers, encircling the 

 throat, of a delicate magenta tint, which can be raised or depressed at will. 

 A few days after the females arrived, and the species then dispersed in 

 pairs. 



He afterwards ascertained that they prefer rocky hillsides at great alti- 

 tudes, where only pine-trees, rock plants, and an alpine flora are found. He 

 frequently shot these birds above the line of perpetual snow. Their favor- 

 ite resting-place was on the extreme point of a dead pine-tree, where, if un- 

 disturbed, they would sit for hours. The site chosen for the nest was 

 usually the branch of a young pine, where it was artfully concealed amidst 

 the fronds at the very end, and rocked like a cradle by every passing breeze. 



