BULLETIN 



NUTTALL ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 



Vol. II. 



JULY, 1877. 



No. 3. 



DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF HUMMING-BIRD 

 FROM CALIFORNIA. 



BY H. W. HENSHAW. 



Selasphorus alleni, Nobis. 



Sp. Char. — Adult Male. Two outer tail-feathers very narrow, linear, 

 the outer nearly acicular ; second only slightly larger ; third abruptly 

 larger. Upper parts bright golden-green, dullest on the crown. Under 

 tail-coverts, sides, and belly rufous, paler along the median line. Jugulum 

 white. Wings purplish-dusky. Tail-feathers cinnamon, tipped and edged 

 with purplish-brown. Throat and ruff bright coppery-red, with brassy- 

 green reflections. Female similar to the female of S. rufus, but smaller ; 

 tail-feathers narrower, especially the outer. 



Habitat. Coast district of California ; northward ] 



Differential Diagnoses. 



S. RUFUS. — Male. Tail-feathers successively graduated in size, the outer 

 the smallest ; fourth from the outer abruptly attenuated, and with a deep 

 notch at the base of attenua- 

 tion on the inner web. Crown 

 (only) metallic-green. Up- 

 per parts clear cinnamon, 

 sometimes with flakes and 

 patches of metallic-green on 

 the back. 



S. alleni. — Male. 

 Smaller. Two outer tail- 

 feathers very narrow, linear, 

 the outer nearly acicular ; 



S. alleni, (f 



* These figures were kindly drawn by Mr. Ridgway, and afford a very exact 

 idea of the differences in the form of the tails of the two birds. 



