-1G2 



NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Selasphorus platycercus, G(h ld. 



BBOAB-TAILED HUMMINO-BIBD. 



Troih tins pill ([/cere us, S\v. Pliilos. Mag. I, 1827, 441 ^Mexico). Schiaphorus phdijccrcas, 

 Gould, Mon. TroiliilM. or lluiuniing-lUitls, iii, Miy, 1852. — liAiuit, llinls X. Am. 

 1858, 135, ]»1. xliii, ligs. 1 and '1. — Coopeu, Pr. Lai. Ac. 1S68 ^Lake Tahoe). —1b. 

 Oni. Cal. I, 1S7<», :J57. Oniisiuia tricolor, Lk.ss<»N', Colibris, 125 (no date), pi. xiv 

 (IJio/il). — lu. Trochilide. 1831, 150, pi. Ix iMi-xico). — .I.vi:i)iNK, Nat. Lib. II, 77, 

 pi. xiii. Ornisiiii/K iiiuiitana, Lkssun, Trochilid. 1831, l(il, pi. Ixiii, u«lult, and 1(33 ; 

 pl. Ixiv, young (Mfxito), 



Sp. CiiAK. Outer primaries greatly attenuated at the end and tnrne<l outward. Outer 

 tail-feathers nearly linear, l»ut widening a little from the base; its width .20 of an inch. 



Tail sli'jhtly graduated and eniar- 



Male aboye and on the 

 sides metallic green ; chin and 

 throat light reddish-purple, be- 

 hind which, and along the belly 

 to the tail, is a good deal of white. 

 Wings and tail dusky purplish ; 

 the tail-feathers, excepting the 

 internal and external ones, edged 

 towards the biise with light 

 cinnamon. Female without the 

 metallic gorget ; the throat-feath- 

 ers with dusky centres. The tail 

 somewhat cuneate, as in the male, 



gmate. 



S'/a.sphoriix pfati/crcus. 



the feathers less pointed ; the outer three cinnamon-rufous at base (this extending some- 

 what along the outer edgi's), then black, and broadly tipped with white (much as in the 

 male Attn is heloisn). the inner two feathers green, the fourth with Mack spot at end. and 

 only edg(>d at base with rufous. The sides '^nd crissuni also tinged witii cinnamon. 

 Length, 3..">() ; wing. 1.92: tail, 1.40. Bill, gape, .80. 



Hab. Tal)le-lands of Mexico and Rockv Mountains, and Middle Proyince of L'nited 

 States, north to Wyoming Territory ; T'intah, Wahsatch, and East Humboldt Mountains 

 (Ru'oway) ; Sierra Neyada (Cooi>ei{) : Cordova (Scl. P. Z. S, 185G. 288); Guatemala 

 (ScL. Ibis, I, 121)); Arizona (Coues. P. A. N. S, 1800. r>7). 



A decided character of tliis species among its North American relatives is 

 the ruibus outer border of the exterior tuil-feathei'S. This rufous in S. rvfus 

 pervades most of the featliers, instead of bein^ restricted as above. Females 

 of the two species are net dissimilar: those of S. p/at//ccrcus are larijer, less 

 rufous beneath ; the tail-feathers broader and less pointed, and with the 

 inner two (on each side) entirely '^reeu to base (the fourth edged wdth 

 rufous), instead of being principally rufcms, except at ti]). 



Specimens from ^liradcjr, Mexico, aia undistinguishable from those of 

 Fort Bridger ; those from (riTatemala are smaller tlian the ]Mexican. 



Habits. Until recently tliis Humming-Bird has been presumed to be an 

 exclusively Mexican and Central Ar .in species. Until taken within our 

 limits, it had been supposed to be conti. ' on the north to the Mexican plateau. 



