SELASPnOIJUS PLATYCEIICUS. 501 



the nortliern continuation of the same range (the East Ilumboklt Mount- 

 ains), while on the Wahsatch and Uintahs it was found still more abun- 

 dantly throughout the summer in company with Trochiliis alcnii/drl. The 

 distribution of Humming-birds being governed by tlio presence or absence 

 of tracts where a profusion of flowers flourish, this species is consecpiently 

 mainly confined to the higher slo])es of the mountains; but whenever a 

 ])ortion of the lower valleys is made to bloom by irrigation, this Ilunnncr 

 soon finds it out and at once appears. Under such circumstances its vertical 

 range is very great, amounting, in one instance which came under our 

 observation, to fully C,000 feet; for one morning we killed a specimen near 

 the ranclie in Ruby Valley, and later during the same day, when we lind 

 ascended to the summit of one of the highest peaks, whicli towered to 

 ncfu-ly 12,000 feet, a single individual buzzed past us. 



The flight of this Humming-bird is unusually rapid, and that of the male 

 is accompanied by a curious screeching buzz, Avhile it is followed through 

 an undulating course. Long before the author of this curious sound was 

 detected its source was a mysterj^ to us. This shrill screeching note is 

 heard onl}' when the bird is passing rapidly through the air, for when hov- 

 ering among the flowers its flight is accompanied by oid}' the usual muffled 

 hum common to all the species of the family. During the nesting-season 

 the male is of an exceedingly quarrelsome disposition, and intrepid, proba- 

 bly beyond any other bird, the Flycatchers not excepted. All birds that 

 approach the vicinity of his nest, whether they be his own species or of the 

 size of hawks, are immediately assaulted with great force and pertinacity by 

 this seemingly insignificant little creature, the vigor of whose attacks, accom- 

 panied as they are by the shrill piercing noise we have mentioned, invariably 

 puts to flight any bird assaulted. We have thus seen the Western Kingbird 

 {Tijrannus verticaUs), the Black-headed Grosbeak {Eedi/meles melanocejihafns), 

 and the Sharp-shinned Hawk {Nlsits fuscus) beat a hasty retreat before 

 the persevering a-ssaults of this Humming-bird. When thus teasing an 

 intruder the little champion ascends almost perpendicularly^ to a consid- 

 erable height, and then descends with the quickness of a flash at the oljjei't 

 he would annoy, which is probably more frightened by the accompan)-- 

 ing noise than by the mere attack itself As we chanced, while hunting 



