458 



NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



They liad already paired, and were constantly to bo seen lioverin<,' over the 

 fluwers. Tlu'ir notes consisted of a rajjid chirpiny; sound, As J)r. Keniierly's 

 party up])roached the coast of Califonua, where the valleys al)oiinded with 

 Dowers of every hue, these liirds continued llittinj,' before them in <,'reat num- 

 bers. ] )r. ( '(tues states tiiat tins species was not taken at Fort Whipple, tiiough 

 abundantly distriiiuted throughout the Territory, particularly in its soutliern 

 and southwestern portions, and fouiul about tifty miles south of Prescott. 

 It is ])resumed to winter within the Territory, and also within the valley of 

 the Colorado. Dr. Cooper ilid not ol)serve any at Fort Mohave until March 

 5, and they were not numerous afterwards. At San J)iego, in 1862, when 

 the spring wa.s umisually backward, he saw none before April 22, and he has 

 since met with them as far north as San Francisco, where, however, they arc 

 rare. The notes uttered by the male he compares to the highest and sharp- 

 est note that can be drawn from a violin. Nothing more is known as to their 

 distinctive specific peculiarities. 



Genus SELASPHORUS, Swainson. 



Sclasjjlioms, Sw.vinson, V. IJ. A. II, 1831, 324. (Type, Troclii/us riifitn.) 



As already stated, the characters of Sedi-yihoriis, as distinguished from 

 Caljipte (to whicli it is most nearly related, through the V.Jlorcsi), consist in 



the lack of metallic feathers on . e crown, and 

 in the attenuation of the outer primary, and the 

 pointed and acuminate cuneate (instead of 

 forked) tail. 



Ah distinguished from Trochiliia, the quills 

 diminish gradually, instead of showing an ab- 

 rupt transition between the fourth and fifth, so 

 characteristic of the two species of Trovhilus, as 

 restricted. The very attenuated ti]) of the outer 

 primary is a chai'acter entirely ])eculiar to Sflnsphorus. 



The two Xorth American species, though strictly congeneric, differ from 

 each other considcirably in details of form, as well as in color. They may 

 l)e distinguished ii'om each other and from their two Central American 

 allies as follows : — 



Species and Varieties. 



Aa FcatliiM's of Mio metallip ajorfjct not ol(>n,i,'iit(Hl latcriilly. 



S. platycercuB. Aliove oniuinuous niotallio greon ; tail-feathers merely 

 edged willi nitons. Gorget ]inrpli.'<li-red. 



Wing, 1.90 ; tail. 1.40 ; hill (iVoni foichead), .00. Gorget rich solferino- 

 pnrple, the feathers gi-ayisli-\vhit(^ beneatli the snrfaee. Outer primary 

 with it.s attennateil tip turned outward. Hub. Rocky Mountains and 

 Middle Province of Tiiited States, south to Guatemala . var. platij cercus. 



Sflasphorits rnfus. 



