400 IIIK AI.LEX HUMMINil^JUl). 



])ia, i-ast. si>iitlKTl\ . ii> Ari/nna; -laitli in winter to I.nwcr (.'alil'ornia ami Sonora. 



Ran^e in WashinKton. — Ini|nTtcctly ina<lc <>iit ; at Ica^t MininuT rcsi<Uni 

 ami inij^rani uc-l <>i tin- Cascades; nut yit riportcd from the Ka>t-siilf. 



Authorities. Lawrence, Auk, \c)I. IX. Jan. iS<)j. p. 44. 1.. I\a. Kb. 1!. K. 



Specimens, i' iv 



I'l" i» the mi-fiTtinie ni certain \vell-ileser\ inp niMiials Ik lie known to 

 fame as the luisbamls or lnothers or cousins of some ceiehrity. .Miens 

 Hinnmer is the daintier, as he is the rarer, of the sinnmer Silitsf<li(>ri. hut 

 we know him thus far only as a momentary vision. .\t each apju-arance wc 

 pause to assmc ourselves that we really tlid see a Mummer with a j^reen hack 

 <;«(/ a red gorget, for otherwise, we lia\e lieen dnped apain hy one of those 

 tiresome female Riifonses. 



Mr. R. 11. Lawrence records the .\llen Hummer as a summer resident of 

 the drav's Harlior country, and says of it": "Perhaps as common as 7". nifns. 

 and fre(|uentinp similar places. First noted in iS(>i on the Kasi Humptulijis. 

 .\pril ,VJ- I ''•"' "^ f;ood view of one on Otiiniault Lake June i^." 



Mr. Clias. .\. Allen, of Nicasin, Cal., who discovered this sjiccies and in 

 whose honor it was named, says of these hinls'': "Their courage is beyond 

 (|uestion: I once saw two of these little warriors start after a Western Red- 

 taileil FL'iwk, and they attacked it so vigorously titat the Hawk was gla<l 

 to get out <^i their way. I'ut these little scani])s were even then not satis- 

 fied, but helped him along after he had decided to go. Hach male seems 

 to claim .1 particular range which he occupies for feeding and breeding 

 l)urposes, and every other bird seen by him encroaching <in his preserve 

 is at once so deterniinedly set u])on and harassed that he is <inly too glad 

 tf» beat a hasty retreat. During their <|uarrels these l)irds kee|) up an incessant 

 siiarp chirping, and a harsh ras|)ing buzzing with the wings, which sounds 

 very difTerent from the low soft hinuming they make with these while 

 feeding. * * * Puring the mating and breeding season the male 

 fre(|uenlly shoots straight tip into the air and nearly out of sight, only to 

 turn siuldenly and rush headlong down tintil within a few feet of the 

 grouiul. The wings during the downward rushes cut the air and cause 

 a sharp, whistling screech, as they descend with frightful velocity, an<l 

 should they strike anything in their downwaril course. I believe they would 

 l)e instantlv killed." 



a. .\iili. \ol. IX.. Jan. i»qi. p. 44. 



h. Brnrtirr, I.ifr Ili»torin N. A. Bird*. Vol. II.. pp. 31?. ji». 



