A PRETTY HUMMER 113 



scant, and so if they remained there would not be 

 enough for all. 



In the San Francisco Mountains of Arizona, Doctor 

 Merriam found the broad-tails very abundant in the 

 balsam timber and the upper part of the pine belt, 

 where they breed in the latter part of July ; after which 

 they remain in that region until the middle of Sep- 

 tember, even though the weather often becomes quite 

 frosty at night. At break of day, in spite of the cold, 

 they will gather in large flocks at some spring to drink 

 and bathe. Doctor Merriam says about them at such 

 times : 



"They were like swarms of bees, buzzing about one's 

 head and darting to and fro in every direction. The air 

 ivas full of them. They would drop down to the water, 

 dip their feet and bellies, and rise and shoot away as if 

 propelled by an unseen power. They would often dart 

 at the face of an intruder as if bent on piercing the eye 

 with their needle-like bills, and then poise for a moment 

 almost within reach before turning, when they were again 

 lost in the busy throng. Whether this act was prompted 

 by curiosity or resentment I was not able to ascertain." 



As has already been said, there is not always unruffled 

 peace in the hummer family. Among the Rocky Moun- 

 tains, and especially on the western side of the range, 

 there dwells another little hummer called the rufous 

 humming-bird, because the prevailing color of his plum- 



8 



