HUMMINGBIRDS: Family Trochilidae [361] 



It is now in the Biological Survey collection. We were unaware of these 

 unpublished records when we published our note (Gabrielson and Jewett 

 1930) listing a specimen taken at the Battle Creek Ranch, Malheur 

 County, June 18, 1930 (Gabrielson Coll. No. 1717), as the first Oregon 

 record. 



This big, boldly marked swift, with the conspicuous white throat, 

 cannot possibly be confused with any other Oregon bird once it becomes 

 familiar to an observer. It can quickly and easily be picked out of any 

 group of swallows or swifts with which it may be associated by its 

 larger size, black and white coloration, and almost incredible speed of 

 flight. As it darts by, it seems to pass with almost the speed of light, 

 and he is indeed a good wing shot who can bring down even an occa- 

 sional bird. 



Hummingbirds: Family Trochilidae 



Black-chinned Hummingbird: 



Archilochus alexandri (Bourcier and Mulsant) 



DESCRIPTION. ''Adult male: Gorget above opaque velvety black, below metallic violet glit- 

 tering with purple, blue, and peacock green lights; upper parts greenish; under parts 

 soiled whitish, green on sides. Adult female: upper parts bronzy green; under parts 

 grayish; tail much rounded, middle pair of feathers about the longest and wholly 

 green, next two feathers green tipped with black, outer three tipped with white. 

 Young: similar to adult female but feathers of upper parts tipped with buffy or rusty 

 and throat of male streaked with dusky. Male: length 3.30-3.75, wing 1.70-1.75, 

 tail 1.2.5, bill .70-. 75. Female: length 3.90-4.10, wing i.9o-2..oo." (Bailey) Nest: 

 A beautiful cup, made of plant down, usually within a few feet of the ground. 

 Eggs: 2. or 3, white (Plate 65, A). 



DISTRIBUTION. General: Breeds from southern British Columbia to northern Cali- 

 fornia and east to Montana and Texas. Winters in Mexico. In Oregon: Rare. 

 Included on basis of two specimens. 



ALTHOUGH the Black-chinned Hummingbird doubtless migrates more or 

 Jess regularly through eastern Oregon and probably nests in small num- 

 bers, its place in the Oregon bird list rests entirely on two female speci- 

 mens. One, now in the Biological Survey collection, was taken by Jewett 

 near Mount Vernon (Grant County) on June 30, 1915. Walker (1934)3) 

 took the second at Adel (Lake County) on June 7, 192.5. Cantwell re- 

 ported seeing a bright male near Paradise (Wallowa County) on June 10, 

 1919. A male was shot in the same locality on June n but was lost in 

 the brush. The absence of any permanent observers in eastern Oregon 

 probably accounts for the fact that this bird is not detected more fre- 

 quently, as it certainly should be present. 



