THE BKO AD-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD. 213 



nests belong, in tins instiincc ;it least it wonld be inijtossiblc to foini a con-ect 

 idea from the nest and egg-s alone, without ol)talning tlie parent. The inner 

 lining appears to be compo.sed entirely of willow or cottonwood down, and none 

 of tlie specimens before me contain even a single feather. The outer covering 

 or thatching is tirmlv secured to the walls of the nest with spider webs or silk 

 from cocoons. The majority of the nests of the Broad-tailed Ihnnnhngbird are 

 placed on low, horizontal branches of willows, alders, cottonwoods, etc., at no 

 great height from the ground, or overhanging small mountain streams, while 

 otliers are saddled on boughs or limbs of pine, tir, spruce, or aspens, from 4 to lo 

 feet from the ground, rarely liigher. Occasionally a nest may be placed on a 

 curled-up piece of hark or on a sjilinter of a broken limb. I'lie length of incu- 

 bation is })robably tiie same as that of our other species about which somewhat 

 more is kn(iwn, and two if not three broods are regularly raised in a season. 

 The eggi^, two in nundjer, resemble those of the Ruby-throat in every respect, 

 but are a trifle shorter. 



The average measurement of fifteen specimens in the United States National 

 Museum collection is 12.70 by 8.33 millimetres, or about 0.50 by 0.33 inch. 

 The largest egg measures 13.21 by 8.38 millimetres, or 0.52 by 0.33 inch; the 

 smallest, 12.19 ))y 8.13 nhllimetres, or 0.48 by 0.32 inch. 



The type specimen, No. 2G793 (not figured), from a set of two eggs, Ralph 

 collection, was taken in Estes Park, Colorado, on June 10, 1892. The nest was 

 placed in the forks of a willow twig, 4 feet from the gromul, near the banks of 

 a little mountain brook. 



75. Selasphorus rufus (Gmelin). 



RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD. 



Trochilus rnfus Gmelin, Systeuia NaturiX", I, i, 1788, 407. 

 Selasphorus rufus Gould, Moiiogiaph of the Troeliilida-, III. ISo'i. PI. 137. 



(B 103, C 277, R 310, C 111, U 4;!3.) 



Geooraphical range: Western North America; north thr<)u,i;h Itriti.sli Cohunbia 

 to about latitude 01° in southern Ahxska; east, in the United States, to the eastern slopes 

 of the Rocky Mountains from Montana througli Colorado to New Mexico, as well as in the 

 iuterveninj;' regions; south through California, Arizona, southern New Mexico, western 

 Texas, and the tablelands of Mexico; in winter to Vera Cruz and Oaxaca, Mexico, and 

 Lower California. 



The Rufous Hummingbird, also occasionally called " Ivufons-backed," "Oin- 

 namon," and "Nootka" lluimningl)ird, appears to be the most widely distributed 

 species of the TrocJulldu- found on the North American continent, extending at 

 least over 40° of latitude. It reaches somewhat farther north than the Rul)y- 

 tln-oated Hmnmingbird, and appears to be a tolerably connnoii sinnmer resi- 

 dent in southern Alaska, where Dr. T. H. Bean found it nesting in the vicinity 

 of Sitka on June 9. It has also been observed somewhat farther north on tlu' 

 Alaskan coast, in the vicinity of Mount St. Klias, in about latitude (IT ; but 



