TROCHILID^ — THE HUMMINa-BIRDS. 457 



Calypte costse, (Iould. 



COSTA'S HUMMING-BIRD; RUFFED HUMMER. 



Ornismya costce, Bourcier, llev. Zool. Oct. 1839, 294 (Lower California). — Ib. Ann. Sc. 

 Phys. et (I'Hist. Nat. de Lyon, 1840, 225, tab. ii. — Prevost& Des Murs, Voyage de la 

 Venus, Zool. I, 1855, 194, Atlas, tab. ii, f. 1, 2. Selasplwrus costce, Bon. Conspectus 

 Avium, I, 1850, 82. Atthis costce, Reichenbach, Cab. Jour, fur Orn. Extraheft, 

 1853, 1854. — Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 138, pi. xix. — Kennerly, P. R. R. x, b, 

 36, pi. xix. Calypte costce, Gould, Mon. Humming-Birds. — Cooper, Orn. Cal. I, 

 1870, 360. 



Sp. Char. Tail very slightly emarginated and rounded ; exterior feather very narrow, 

 and linear. A very long ruff on each side of the throat. Head above and below, with 

 the ruff, covered with metallic red, purple and violet (sometimes steel green). Remain- 

 ing upper parts and sides of the body green. Throat under and between the ruffs, side 

 of head behind the eye, anal region, and under tail-coverts whitish. Female with the tail 

 rounded, scarcely emarginate ; barred with black, and tipped with white. The metallic 

 colors of the head wanting. Length, 3.20 ; wing, L75; tail, LIO ; bill, .68. 



Hab. Mexico, Southern California, and the Colorado Basin, Monterey (Neboux). Ari- 

 zona (CouES, P. A. N. S, 1866, 57). 



Specimens vary considerably in the color of the ruff, which, however, is 

 only occasionally green ; violet being the prevailing shade. The length of 

 this appendage varies considerably. 



The female of this species differs much from the male in the absence of 

 the metallic scales on the head and throat. It has a close resemblance to 

 the female T. coluhris, although the bill is smaller and narrower. The tail- 

 feathers are narrower, more linear, and less acutely pointed at the tip. The 

 black on the outer tail-feathers, instead of extending very nearly to the 

 base, is confined to the terminal half, the basal portion being green. All 

 the tail-feathers are terminated by white, although that on the fourth and 

 fifth is very narrow. In T. cohibris this color is confined to the three outer 

 ones. The much smaller size will alone distinguish it from the female 

 of C. anna. 



Habits. This species is a Mexican bird, first discovered by Signer Floresi 

 among the valleys of the Sierra Madre, in that country, throughout the west- 

 ern portions of which it is said to be an abundant species, as well as 

 along our southern borders, whence it extends into New Mexico, the Colo- 

 rado Valley, Southern California, and Arizona. It was first described by 

 Bourcier in 1839, and named in honor of the Marquis de Costa, of Chambery. 



Mr. Xantus found this species exceedingly abundant at Cape St. Lucas. 

 It has also been found on the eastern coast of the Gulf of California, at 

 Guaymas, and Mazatlan, and also on the table-lands of Mexico. 



It was first added to our fauna by Dr. Kennerly, who obtained specimens 

 near Bill Williams Fork, in New Mexico, February 9, 1854. At that early 

 season a few flowers had already expanded beneath the genial rays of the 

 sun, and around them the party rarely failed to find these beautiful birds. 



vol. II. 58 



