THE HUMMING KIRDS. 355 



Range.— Mountain districts of western United States, north to Brit- 

 ish C'olumbia, east to Montana, Utah, New Mexico, etc., and sonth over 

 table hinds of Mexico; breeding south as far as San Bernardino Moun- 

 tains, in California, and mountains of northern New Mexico. 



Sp. Char. — Adult male with the narrow and very distinctly outlined 

 feathers of the gorget pure white basally, metallic reiUlish puri)le ter- 

 minally; middle tail feathers somewhat spatulate, purplish black, edged 

 with rufous toward base and broadly tii)ped with dull brownish gray ; 

 remaining rectrices similar but without distinct grayish tips and rufous 

 basal edgings less distinct or even obsolete; under parts white, the 

 sides and flanks metallic green mixed or washed with pale rusty ; 

 length (before skinning) about 3.10-3.30, wing 1.50-l.GO, tail 0.80-1.10, 

 exposed culmen 0.55-0.58. Adult female metallic bronze-green above, 

 including the slightly spatuiate middle tail-feathers; three outer tail- 

 feathers broadly tipped with white, extensively black subterminally, 

 the basal jiortion dull greenish, becoming buffy or pale rusty at extreme 

 base ; under parts white, the sides, flanks and under tail-coverts pale 

 rusty or cinnamon buff, the throat more or less spotted with brownish; 

 length about 3.35-3.50, wing 1.75-1.80, tail 0.85-1.15, exposed culmeu 

 0.58-0.60. 



Adidt male (No. 67201, El Moro, New Mexico, July 29, 1873; H. W. 

 Henshaw) : Above metallic bronze-green, becoming duller on forehead; 

 remiges dull brownish slate, very faintly glossed with purplish; middle 

 pair of tail-feathers dull black, broadly edged with rusty basally, and 

 broadly tipped with dusky brownish gray (as if faded) ; rest of rectrices 

 similar but fading gradually at tips into dusky brownish gray, and 

 rusty basal edgings less distinct — quiie obsolete on outer feather. 

 Gorget with the feathers pure white for basal half or more, the terminal 

 portion metallic solferino-purple; chest, sides of neck, and under tail- 

 coverts pure white; median line of breast and belly dull white; sides 

 and flanks bronze-green. Bill and feet brownish black.* Length (skin), 

 2.75t ; wing, 1.50; tail, 0.80; exposed culmen, 0.58. 



Adult female (No. 91748, Baird, Califoruia, May 29, 1883; Ohas. IT. 

 Townseud) : Above, metallic bronze-green, including middle pair of tail- 

 feathers, which are entirely without rufous, even at extreme base ; tail- 

 feather next to middle pair dark metallic green, both webs edged with 

 rusty toward base, the terminal i^ortiou of outer web black (for about 

 0.25 of an inch), the corresponding portion of inner web inclining to the 

 same; next feather with a considerable terminal spot of white, this pre- 

 ceded by a black band more than 0.25 of an inch wide, the remaining 

 portion metallic green, broadly edged toward base with rusty; next 



* According to Dr. J. C. Merrill (The Auk, Jnly, 1888, p. 257), the fresh colors are 

 as follows: "Upper maudible dead black, the lower light liesli color darkening 

 towards the tip, which was black ; the feet dark llesh-color, the irides brown.'' 



t Specimens in the Hesh, according to Dr. Morrill, measure in length from :i.lO to 

 3.30 ; a young male shot by lue measured 2|f; in length. 



