.^96 THE Kl rorS lUMMl-ll. 



<ioiural kanuc. Wi^lini Nurlli America inun tin- Kocky .Mi>uiilaiii> to ilu- 

 I'acilic. lircoliiiK m»iu1i in iixniiilaiiunis rcjjions to Arizona anil north to Mount 

 St. Elia> and s.mtliwf^i Yukon 'IVrritorv : Miutli in winter over the tablelands of 

 Moxic... 



Ran^e in \\ asliln;;tt)n. Coninion .-lunincr roiiknt on tlu- W'cst-siilc from 

 sca-lfvi'l to tniilicr-hnr ; k» loninion on tlu- castirn slopes of tlie Cascades: rare 

 in the mountains of eastern Washington. 



Migrations. — Sfriin/: March i3-.\])ril 15. 



Authorities. .' VVi>r/n7i(i- nifiis. Aud. ( )rn. Biog. IV. 1838, 555, pi. 372. 

 .S <•/(;.</>/«-» ;(.v iiiiiis Swains. Baird, Kep. I'ac. R. R. Surv. IX. 1858, p. 135. T. 

 L\S;S. I,'. Rh. I)'. Sr. Kb. Ka. Kk. J. !!. E. 



Specimens. — L'. of W . I'. I'rov. !!. UN. E. 



rill"..SiC gaudily dressed little fellows, seemingly part and parcel of the 

 sunshine itself, are by no means the delicate creations they appear to Ik-. 

 West of the Cascades they are, strange to s.iy, among the very first of the 

 spring arrivals from the South. The vanguard always arrives by the last 

 week of March, and .sometimes as early as the mid<!le of that month. East 

 of the Cascades they are considerably later, and are not found in nearly so 

 large numbers. They are seldom to be seen in greatest abundance, however, 

 nnich liefore the middle of April. At this sea.son certain bushes tlower in 

 jirofusion, and in these flowers the hummers lind unlimited food and drink. — 

 honey, and the innumerable tiny insects which it attracts. 



Wright Park, situated in the center of the city of Tacoma. has been very 

 extensively |)lanted with the decorative wihl currant: and it is here that hum- 

 mers may oftenest be seen in great numbers. It is not uncommon to see 

 them by hundreds in this park, and often as many as twenty disport them- 

 selves in aud around a single bush. They are the most jiugnacious little 

 creatures and are continually s<|uabbling, the females being (piite as (juarrel- 

 some as the males. Their war song is a penetrating squeak, or chirrup. 

 The i)ausing of one of the birds to select some luscious insect from a cluster 

 of flowers seems to be the signal for an onset front one or more of its fellows, 

 when all squeak with greatest animation. One cainiot help belie\ing that 

 this is more or less in the nature of play, for it is joined in by Ixilh the luales 

 and the females, and the one attacked never resents it in the least. I'snally 

 it ilescribes a great circle in the air and descends into the center of some 

 other bush, where it sits watching the others and occasionally preening its 

 feathers. They are exceedingly tame at this season, and the bird-lover may 

 seat himself under some tlower-laflen bush while these most iKautifnl little 

 birds hover and |)erch within three or four feet of him. 



What ajjpears to be the only other vocal accomplishment of this hummer 

 is a somewhat long-drawn. ras|)ing note, very loud and harsh for so small a 

 bird. This is ma<le bv the male, and, curiously luough. it is the love song 



