THE BLACK-ClllXXHU IIU.M.M 1 XCIil Kl ). 393 



No. 152. 



BLACK-CHINNP:D HlMMINCiBIRO. 



A. O. I'. .\d. 429. Trochilus alexandri llnurc. \- Muls. 



Synonyms. — Ai.i:xa\I)i:u IUm mingbikii. Srci.xr.i-; IlrMMHU. 



Description. — .Idiilt male: Upperparts includintf middle pair of tail-feathers 

 >liiiiiny; hronzy green: \ving--c|iiills and remaining rectrices fuscous with purplish 

 reriections; tail double-rounded, its feathers broadh' acuminate, and central i)air 

 of feathers about .12 shorter than the third pair, the outermost jjair shorter than 

 middle pair; the gorget chiefly opaque velvety black, on each side of the median 

 line a small irregular patch of metallic orange, or else with various jewelled 

 iridescence posteriorly ; remaining underparts white, heavily tinged with greenish 

 on sides, elsewhere lightly tinged with dusky and dull rufous ; bill slender, straight. 

 Adult female: Similar to male in coloration but without gorget, a few dusky 

 specks instead ; tail ditterent. single-rounded, central feathers like back in cokjra- 

 tion, and scarcely shorter than succeeding pairs, remaining feathers with broad 

 subterminal space of purplish black, and ti])ped with white, lateral feathers 

 scarcely acuminate, the outermost barely emarginate on inner web. Length of 

 adult male: about 3.50 (88.9) : wing 1.75 (44.5 ) : tail 1.25 (31.8) : bill .75 ( 19. i ). 

 Female, length about 4.(X) ( loi/i) : wing 1.95 (49.5). 



Recognition Marks. — Tygmy size; black gorget of male di>tiiu-ti\e : female 

 larger than in Stellnla caUiape. with which alone it is likeh- to come into com- 

 parison. 



Nesting. — Xest: C)f plant down secured by cobwebs, saddled upon small 

 descending branch at moderate height, or lashed to twigs of small fork. Eggs: 

 2 or. rarely, 3, pure white, elliptical oval in sha])e. Av. size. .50.x .33 (12.7 x 8.3"). 

 Season: ^lay or June according to altitude; one brood. 



General Range. — Western United States, except the northern Pacific coast 

 district, north in the interior into Ijritish Columbia, breeding south to northern 

 Lower California and east to the Rocky Mountains: south in winter into Mexico. 



Range in Washington. — Not common summer resident east of the Cascades 

 only. 



Authorities. — ? Bcndire. Life Hist. X. .\. llirds. \'ol. 11. 1895, p. 199 

 (inferential). Dawson, .Auk. \'ol. XT\'. Apr. 181^7,]). 175. Sr. Ss-. L 

 Specimens. — ( 1'. of W. ) T". C. 



THOSE of us, who as children were taught tc call ladv-bugs "ladv-hirds," 

 might have been pardoned some uncertainty as to the wlieraahouts of the divid- 

 ing line between insects and birds, especially if, to the vision of the "Hum- 

 bird's" wings shimmering by day above the llower bed, was added the twilight 

 visits of the hawk-moths not a whit smaller. The Hummer is painted like a 

 butterfly; its flight is direct and buzzing like a bee's; it seeks its food at the 

 flower's brim by poising on rapidly vibrating wing like the hawk-moth; but 

 there the resemblances cease. For the rest it is a bird, migrating, mating, and 

 nesting quite like grown folks. 



