IS86.J Henshaw on Birds observed in Nciv Mexico. 'J 'J 



the contest is less fierce, the latter species usually abandoning the ground 

 in hot haste. The latter result always follows the assault of a male upon the 

 females who, if less valiant in battle, ai'e scarcely less backward when it 

 comes to the assertion of their rights against intruders of their own sex. 

 The rivalry the females display is not less marked if the battles it prompts 

 are less fierce than when the males are engaged; occasionally the 

 females will fight with all the ardor displayed by the males. The mimic 

 contests thus hinted at rather than described — for the fury and spirit dis- 

 played in their battles must be seen to be appreciated — are continued all 

 day long, and were the strength of the combatants at all proportionate to 

 their fury the problem of Hummingbird life would simply resolve itself 

 down to a question of the survival of the strongest. But the tiny 

 strength of these pygmies, through backed by never so much warlike 

 spirit, is scarcely sufficient to detach a feather from each other's gleam- 

 ing bodies; and even at the close of the season the male birds show little 

 wear and tear, and are in prime condition as regards their plumage. 



If they have occasion to fear each other — and sometimes I have thought 

 they fight merely for the pure fun of it — they fear nothing else. About 

 our camp, where were a few clumps of the Scrophidaria, they were 

 especially fearless, and provided one remained reasonably quiet they 

 would approach within two or three feet. When in such proximity 

 their sharp eyes were constantly on the watch, and a hostile movement 

 sent them away like streaks of flame. By gradual approach, however, I 

 was able on several occasions to strike one down with my hat and secure 

 it uninjured before it recovered either presence of mind or strength to get 

 on wing. 



Some idea of the number of Hummingbirds in this locality — and in 

 this respect this whole mountain area is alike — may be gained from the 

 statement that in a single clump of the Scropkularia I have counted 

 eighteen Hummers, all within reach of a ordinary fishing rod. There was 

 scarcely a moment in the day when upwards of fifty could not be counted 

 within the ai-ea of a few yards in any of the patches of this common 

 plant. 



As to their nesting, it is a curious and almost unaccountable fact that 

 notwithstanding their great numbers we found but a single nest, and this 

 after it was deserted. Inquiry among the settlers showed that they had 

 never chanced upon their nests, and I judge that the greater part nest, as 

 I found to be the case in Arizona, in the upper limbs of the pines ; occa- 

 sionally they nest lower. The one I found was on a dead aspen, not more 

 than ten feet from the ground. At the t'ime when they are building 

 their nests may be readily found. One has only to follow the birds 

 straight to their nesting-sites as they bear away material in the shape 

 of conspicuous tufts of cottony down from the willows. 



It seems as though 5'. rufus must breed rather less abundantly in this 

 locality than 5. platycercus; at all events, while the former was much less 

 common at and for a considerable time after the date of our arrival, by 

 August I, when the males of 5. platycercus \v^di about disappeared, the 



