110 HISTORY OF THE 



sas River, near Wichita, and kindly sent me for identification, 

 by Dr. E. Matthews, of that city. 



B. 500a. R. 504. C. 650. G. 234, 49. U. 187. 



HABITAT. "Western United States, from Texas to California, 

 north to Oregon; accidental to Kansas, south through tropical 

 America to Chili. 



SP. CHAR. " Adult: Feathers bordering the base of the bill all round 

 whitish, usually most distinct on the forehead. Pileuin dull metallic violet 

 purple, changing to green, the feathers blackish beneath the surface; rest of 

 the head cinnamon brownish, paler on the throat, where lightest anteriorly; 

 neck cinnamon chestnut, the feathers blackish beneath the surface, this show- 

 ing where the feathers are disarranged, and quite conspicuous on the nape, 

 where the dusky has in certain lights a faint greenish luster; lower neck, entire 

 lower parts (except the crissum, anal region, axillars and flanks), back, anterior 

 scapulars and lesser wing coverts uniform rich chestnut, darker and more pur- 

 plish above, lighter and more ferruginous or clearer reddish beneath. Rest of 

 the plumage glossy metallic green, bronze purple and violet; the green purest 

 and clearest on the primaries; the secondaries and greater coverts more bronzy, 

 the middle coverts and posterior half of lesser covert region purplish, changing 

 to dull green; the crissum and rump mixed green and purple, the green being 

 of a richer (almost grass green) shade, especially on the rump; axillars and 

 under wing coverts bronze purple; xnicler surface of remiges and rectrices very 

 highly burnished; bill dusky, sometimes tinged with reddish; lores, eyelids 

 and naked skin of chin lake red or pale carmine; iris crimson; legs and feet 

 varying from grayish brown to deep lake red. Young, second year: Head, 

 neck and lower parts dull grayish brown, the head and upper parts of the neck 

 streaked with white; back grayish brown with green or purplish reflections. 

 Otherwise as in the adult, but metallic colors less brilliant. Young, first year: 

 Head, neck and lower parts as in the last, but upper parts and under side of 

 the wing uniform, continuous bronzy green, with little (if any) admixture of 

 purple or violet shades. No chestnut on the lesser wing coverts; bill pale green- 

 ish horn blue, blackish terminally and dusky basally; iris hazel; legs and feet 

 deep black. Downy young: Bill light yellowish, the base, end and baud 

 around the middle deep black; lores blackish; legs and feet black; forehead 

 black, bounded posteriorly by a crescentic patch of dull silvery white, extend- 

 ing from eye to eye, across the posterior portion of the crown; the line of demar- 

 kation between the white and black being somewhat mixed or suffused with 

 light rufous; rest of head, neck and lower parts covered with soft downy feath- 

 ers of a uniform brownish gray shade, without any whitish streaks on head and 

 neck. Partially complete plumage of the upper surface entirely uniform con- 

 tinuous bronze green, or metallic bottle green, without the slightest admixture 

 anywhere of purple, blue or violet." 



Stretch of 

 Length. -wing. Wing. Tail. Tarsus. Bill. 



Male 24.50 87.50 10.50 4.50 4.00 5.75 



Female.. 22.00 35.50 9.50 4.00 3.50 4.75 



