• ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD. 217 



from Gray's Harbor, Wasliingtou, as a summer resident, perliaps as common 

 as Selasphorus rtifus, and frequeutiny similar places. He first noticed it on the 

 east Hmnptidips River, on April 30, 1891, among salmouberry and other flower- 

 ing' bushes. He writes me that the Edwards Brothers, taxidermists, of Tacoma, 

 Washington, exhibi-'ed a mounted pair of these birds and their young in the 

 nest, taken in that \acinity, at the exposition there in October, 1891. He also 

 met with it in different localities in southern California. On August 11, 1894, 

 he shot an adult female about 600 feet below the summit of Mount AVilson, 

 which he kindly forwarded to the United States National Museum, and it was 

 noticed by him as early as March 8 in the vicinity of Monrovia,, California. 



In southern California it appears to be more a bird of the coast districts 

 than of the interior, aud here it is also somewhat irregularly distributed, being 

 fairl}- abundant in some localities and apparently absent in others. Mr. W, E. D. 

 Scott records a single specimen (an adult male) taken in tlie Santa Catalina 

 Mountains, in southern Arizona, on July 23, 1884, at an altitude of 4,500 feet. 

 How far south it rausies into Mexico or Lower California duriu"- its migrrations 

 is still unknown, as no specimens have as far as I have been able to ascertain, 

 yet been obtained from any points in these regions. 



In its general habits, food, etc., it resembles oui- other Hummingbirds. Mr. 

 F. Stephens writes me from San Diego County, California: "The migrating 

 season of Sekisj^Jiorus alleni in spring is rather brief Possibly a few of these 

 birds breed in tlie pine region, as I have taken adults and inmiature birds there 

 at the end of June." 



Mr. Charles A. Allen, who discovered this species, and in wdiose honor it 

 has been named, writes me: "Allen's Hummingbird arrives in the vicinity of 

 Nicasio, California, about the middle of February, and commences to nest soon 

 after arrival. The earliest date on which I found one was Februarv 27, 1879; 

 this was then about lialf finished, when a heavy storm set in which lasted about 

 five days, and I did not visit the locality again until March 8, when the nest was 

 completed and contained two fresh eggs. I have taken their nests as late as 

 July 3, and am well convinced that two broods are raised in a season, at least by 

 ;dl of the earlier breeding birds. They select all sorts of situations and various 

 kinds of trees and liushes to nest in. I have found their nests as low as 10 

 inches and again as high as 90 feet from the ground. Their courage is beyond 

 question; I once saw two of these little warriors start after a Western Red-tailed 

 Hawk, and they attacked it so vigorously that the Hawk was glad to get out of 

 their way. But these little scamps were even then not satisfied, but helped him 

 along after he had decided to go. Each male seems to claim a particular range, 

 which he occupies for feeding and breeding" purposes, and every other bird seen 

 by him encroaching on liis preserve is at once so determinedly set upon and 

 harrassed that lie is only too glad to beat a hasty retreat. During their quarrels 

 these birds keep up an incessant, sharp chirping, and a harsh, rasping buzzing- 

 with their wings, which sounds very different from the low, soft humming they 

 make with these while feeding. Every action aud motion at such times indicates 



