84 NESTS AND EGGS OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



seems to prefer small deciduous trees or bushes for nesting places to ever- 

 greens. Eggs not distinguishable from those of the Ruby-throat. 



Hab. Southern Rocky Mountain region of United States and Southward. North to Wyoming, Idaho, 

 Utah, Nevada; Sierras Nevadas of California. 



340. Rufous Hummingbird — selasphorus rufus. This is the commonest 

 and most extensively distributed species of the West; from the Rocky 

 Mountains to the Pacific, north to Alaska. Its favorite nesting site is along 

 the borders of creeks, on the overhanging limbs and branches of trees and 

 bushes. The materials used are willow-floss and soft plant-down. Occa- 

 sionally a nest is found covered with rock lichens. 



341. Allen's Hummingbird — selasphorus alleni. Found through- 

 out the coast region of California and northward. Nests usually along 

 creeks and canons. The outside of the nest is composed of fine moss, 

 the lining is the delicate floss of the cottonwood. Eggs same as those of 

 T. colnbris. All the Humming birds that breed in California are said to 

 rear two broods in a season. 



346. Buff-beUied Hummingbird — amazilia cerviniventris. This bird 

 is fond of dense tangled thickets, where it can be seen darting among 

 the bushes and creeping vines. In such places the nest is also found. It 

 is composed of the downy blossoms of plants, bound on the outside with 

 cobwebs and rather sparingly covered with lichens. Dr. Merrill found 

 this to be an abundant summer visitor in Southern Texas, in the vicinity 



of Fort Brown. Hab. Lower Rio Grande of Te.xas to South An 



nenca. 



351. Chimney Swift — chzetura pelasgica. Pure white; four to six; 

 •75 by. 50. The nest is made of twigs broken from trees by the bird 

 while on the wing; these are glued together and to the side of the chim- 

 ney by saliva of the bird. It is a neat, basket-like structure. The Chimney 

 Swallow formerly placed its nest in hollow trees. Dr. Wheaton in his 

 " Report on the Birds of Ohio," mentions one taken from the inside of a 

 barn in Wyandot County, by my friend Arnold Boyle. It was similar in 



position to that of the Barn Swallow. Hab. Eastern United states, very abundant. 



353. Chuck-wills-widow — antrostomus carolinensis. Clear crys- 

 tal white, marked over the entire surface with blotches of dark purplish- 

 brown and cloudings of a grayish lavender, with occasional markings of 

 raw umber-brown; two; size 1.45 by 1.04. Two is the usual number laid 

 by birds of this family. The nest is a slight hollow in the mould of a fallen 

 log, or stump, or on the ground, among dead leaves. 



Hab. South Atlantic and Gulf States; Carolina to Indian Territory; New Mexico, south, to Central 

 America. 



