TROCHILID^ — THE HUMMING-BIRDS. 463 



westward to the city, and thence southward to Guatemala, while throughout 

 this region it is said to be very generally and very plentifully distributed. 

 It was first taken, in 1851, by Mr. J. H. Clark, near El Paso, Texas. Sub- 

 sequently numerous specimens were seen by Dr. Coues on the summit of 

 Whipple's Pass of the Ptocky Mountains, in July, feeding among clumps 

 of wild roses. It was not noticed near Port Whipple, though the range 

 of this species is now well known to include New Mexico and Arizona, as 

 far north, at least, as Fort Bridger in Wyoming. It was found breeding 

 abundantly in the vicinity of Fort Grant, Arizona, by Dr. Palmer. 



This Humming-Bird was found by Mr. Allen more or less common among 

 the foot-hills, as well as among the mountains, of Colorado, and extending 

 several miles out on the plains. On Mount Lincoln, in Colorado, he found 

 it exceedingly numerous, and though larger and otherwise different from the 

 eastern Euby-throat, it might easily be mistaken for it. The shrill whistling 

 of its wings, he adds, is a peculiarity one is sure to notice. This Hunnning- 

 Bird continued to be common on the sides of Mount Lincobi to far above 

 the timber line, being apparently as much at home among the bright flowers 

 growing on the highest parts of the mountain as in the valleys. 



At Lake Tahoe, at an elevation of six thousand feet. Dr. Cooper found 

 the young of this species quite common near the middle of September. 

 Supposing them to be the more common S. nifus, he only obtained a single 

 specimen. He thinks that these birds extend their northern migrations as 

 far as the Blue Mountains, near Snake Piiver, Oregon, and that they are the 

 ones referred to by Nuttall as seen by him in autumn, and supposed to be 

 the ricf'us. 



The nests of this species procured by Dr. Palmer were large for the size 

 of the bird, unusually broad and sliallow, composed of soft downy pappus 

 from seeds of plants, and vegetable down, with the outer walls covered with 

 mosses and lichens. The eggs are not distinguishable from those of the 

 other species. 



The Kocky Mountain or Broad-tailed Hummer, according to Mr. liidg- 

 way's observations, is the most abundant species in the Great Basin, though 

 he did not see it to recognize it west of the East Humboldt JMountains. It 

 is essentially a bird of the mountains, since in that region there are few 

 flowers elsewhere ; yet in the gardens of Salt Lake City, an altitude far below 

 its usual habitat, it was abundant. Its favorite resorts are the flowery 

 slopes of the higher and well- watered mountain-ranges of the Great Basin 

 and Eocky Mountain system, at an average elevation of about eight or 

 nine thousand feet, yet it will be found wherever flowers are abundant. 

 Mr. Eidgway saw one at an altitude of about twelve thousand feet, in July, 

 on the East Humboldt Mountains, but it merely passed rapidly by him. In 

 the Wahsatch Mountains, particularly in the neighborhood of Salt Lake 

 City, this species was most plentiful. It there nested abundantly in the 

 scrub-oaks on the hills or slopes of the canons. 



