446 NORTH AMERfCAN BIRDS. 



Tim DUttT llii'ci! I'l'iitlit'i'.s jjfi'ciMi lit Ijasc, then l)lii('k, ami lipped with whito ; tho fourth 

 prcou iiiid hlack ; the lil'lh ;,'ii'oii, with a thisky shade at end; all, except central, edged 

 internally at hase willi rnl'ons. TIk! niulcr niandililo is paler at base than elsewhere, but 

 not yellowish-white as in the male. 



Il-Mi. Mountains of Washiiif^fton Territory, Oregon, and Califurnia, to Northern 

 Mi'xieii. East to East Humboldt Mountiiiiis (Riuoway); Fort Tejon (X.\stu,s); Fort 

 Crook (Fkii.skii). 



The male liinl is easily distingiiished from otlior North American species 

 hy its vuiy small size, the snowy-white liases of tiio eloiij;;ated loose throat- 

 featiiers, and by the shape of tlie tail, as idso tlie absence, at least in the 

 several males before ns, of decided metallic green on the central tail-feathers. 

 The females resend)le those of ^1. licloUw most closely, but have longer bills 

 and wings, broader tail-feathers, and tiieir rufous confined to tlie edges, 

 insteiid of crossing the entire basal portion. Sclunphorus 2>h(t yccrcus and rufus 

 are much larger, and have tails marked more as in A. hcloimi. 



Haiuts. Tills interesting species was first met with as a Me.\ican Hum- 

 ming-l>ird, on the high table-lands of that ri'iiublic, by Signer Floresi. His 

 specimens were obtained in the neigliborliood of the Ifeal del Monte mines. 

 As it was a comparatively rare bird, and only met with in the winter 

 months, it was rightly conjectured to be only a migrant in that locality. 



This si)ecies is new to the fauna of North America, and was first brought 

 to the attention of naturalists by Mr. J. K. Lord, one of the British com- 

 missioners on the Northwest Boundary Survey. It is presumed to be a 

 mountain species, found in the highlands of British Columbia, Washington 

 Territory, Oregon, California, and Nortluirn ^lexico. 



Early in May ^Ir. Lord was stationed on the Little Spokan IJiver, super- 

 intending the building of a bridge. Tlie snow was still remaining in patches, 

 and no llowers were in bloom except the brilliant pink Rihcs, or Howering 

 currant. Around the blossoms of tiiis shrub he found congregated quite a 

 number of IIumming-Birds. Tiie bushes seemed to him to literally gleam 

 with their flashing colors. They were all male birds, and of two species ; 

 and upon obtaining several of both they proved to be, one tlie Sc/a.y)horHS 

 ri'fn.i, the other the present species, one of the smallest of Ilumniiiig-Birds, 

 and in life conspicuous for a frill of minute pinnated feathers, encircling the 

 throat, of a delicate magenta tint, which can be raised or dejiressed at will. 

 A few days alter the females arrived, and the species then dispersed in 

 pairs. 



He afterwards ascertained tliat they prefer rocky hillsides at great alti- 

 tudes, where only pine-trees, rock jdants, and an alpine flora are founu. He 

 fretpiently shot these birds above the line of perpetual snow. Tiieir favor- 

 ite restiiig-jilace was on tlie extreme point of a dead pine-tree, wlu^re, if un- 

 disturbed, they would sit for hours. Tiie site chosen for tlie nest wiis 

 usually the branch of a young jiine, where it was artfully conoeided amidst 

 the fronds at the very end, and rocked like a cradl' by every passing breeze. 



