Vol. XVII 
1g00 
Kossk, The Rufous Hummingbird. Tal 
_ The Rufous Hummingbird (Se/asphorus rufus) does not occur 
within the rainy region during the wet winters, and is therefore 
little affected by the moist climate. Mr. R. H. Lawrence states 
that this Hummingbird arrives at Ilwaco, Wash., on March 9g, but 
I have seen them during the latter part of February or the first of 
March. ‘The males arrive several weeks before the females, but 
by the end of April the cape is overrun by these flashing little 
beings. They are by far the most prominent bird found upon 
the cape and are probably the most common, although such birds 
as are retiring in their habits, as the Russet-backed Thrush 
(fylocichla ustulata), may exceed them in numbers. They 
are particularly abundant about the flowering salmon-berry bushes 
and also the thimble-berry, but they seemed to be fonder of the 
honeysuckle blossoms than of either of the others. These Hum- 
mingbirds, although arriving early, do not depart until the rainy 
season begins, late in the fall. I neglected to put the exact date 
in my notes, but it is somewhere near the latter part of Sep- 
tember, though of course it differs with the season. 
The pugnacity of these birds is the most prominent charac- 
teristic of the species and when they are not fighting among 
themselves they make war upon other birds. The males are 
nearly always the participants and seem to take great delight in 
fighting each other with their utmost strength. It is a very 
common sight to see a male Hummer perched upon a telegraph 
wire or exposed twig watching for others of his own sex with 
which to do battle. Although they sometimes fall over and over 
toward the ground like two huge bees, they seldom disable one 
another, since their bills are very weak. The greatest efforts on 
the part of one of the Hummers only succeed in pulling out a few 
feathers of his adversary, who is finally driven away in a rather 
bedraggled condition. During these aerial battles the males 
expand their metallic feathers upon the throat and chin, which 
reflect the sunshine in brilliant colors, thus causing their affrays 
to appear particularly fierce, besides making them very beautiful 
on a bright day. I do not remember ever seeing the females 
fight; they being more retiring and timid than the males. On 
several occasions I have seen male Hummers fight and drive off 
Swallows from the vicinity of their nest, particularly when it con- 
