462 



NORTH AMEIUCAX BIRDri. 



Selasphorus platycercus, Gould. 



BBOAO-TAILED HUMMING-BIBD. 



Ti-ochilusiihttjiccirHx, Sw. Pliilos. Miig. 1, KS27, 441 (Mexico). Sehtuplwrus phdijccrms, 

 OouLii, Moil. Trocliilid. or Iliimiiiiiig-lUrils, lu, May, 1S52. -- IJaiiui, liinU X. Am. 

 ISriS, la."), 111. .\liii, li<,'s. 1 1111(1 li. — (.'oui'Kl!, I'r. L'ul. Ao. 1S«» (Uiko Tahoe). — 1b. 

 Oni. Cal. I, 1S7II, 'A^il ■ Onihiaia triailur, Li>si>N, Colibirs, VIH (no date), pi. xiv 

 (Brazil). -I I!. Tiocliiliile. lb:31,lo(j, pi. l.\ (Mexico). —.I.viaii.xi;, Xat. Lib. II, 77, 

 pi. xiii. Ornifiiaijii laoiihaia, Lkn.so.n, Trocliilid. lS:jl, 1()1, pi. Ixiii, adult, and 1(J3 ; 

 jil. Ixiv, yoiuif; (Mcxii'o). 



Sp. Ch.vu. Oiiti'i' priiiiarios crcatly alteiuiatud at tliu end and tiinicd outward. Outer 

 tail-leathers nearly liiu'ar, lint wiiiening- a little from the base; its width .20 of an inch. 



Tail sljo-htly graduated and eniav- 

 ginate. Hale above and on the 

 side.s metallic green ; chin and 

 throat light reddish-purple, be- 

 hind which, and along the belly- 

 to tlic tail, is a good deal of white. 

 Wings and tail dusky purplish; 

 the tail-feathers, excepting the 

 internal and external ones, edged 

 towards the base with light 

 ciniiainnn. Female without the 

 metallic gorget ; the throat-feath- 

 ors with dn.sky centres. The tail 

 somewhat cuneate, as in the male, 



St lasphnruK iifati/rrrnts. 



the feathers less pointed ; the outer three cinnamon-rnfoiis at base (this extendinir some- 

 what along the outer edges), then black, and broadly lipped with white (mueli as in the 

 male Affhiii hchkn), the inner two featlior.s green, the fourth with black spot at end, and 

 only edged at ba-;e with rufous. The sides and crissuni also tinged with cinnainon. 

 Length, 3..')(»; wing. X.'.Yl: tail, 1.40. liill, ga|)e, .8t). 



IIai!. Table-lands of Mexico and Roeky i[onntains, and Middle Province of United 

 States, nortli to Wyoming Territory; TMutah, Walisatcli, and East Humboldt ^[ountains 

 (RiiMiWAv); Sierra Xevada (Cooi'nii) : C.u-dova (Scr.. P. Z. S, LSoO, '2S8) ; (iuatemala 

 (Sci.. Ibis, I, lliD); Arizona (Coii:.s, P. A. X". S, 1800. .-)7). 



A decided chiiraetor of tlii.s .sjiocics uiiioner it.s Xorth American reliitives i.s 

 tlie riilous outer border of llio exterior tnil-1'e.atlicr.s. Tliis rutbiis in ,S'. nifiis 

 pervades mcst of tlie featliers, in.stead of lieinf? restricted as above. Females 

 of tbe two .■species are not dissimilar: those of S. plat ifcc rem are lar,!for, less 

 rufous beneath ; the tail-feathers In'oader and le.:s pointed, and witii the 

 inner two (on each side) entirely oreen to 1)ase (the fourth edged with 

 rufous), instead of boiiiff ])rinci]ially rufous, e\-oe])t at tip. 



Siwciinens from ^Mirador, :\Ie.\ico, are undistinouishablc from those of 

 Fort Bridger; tlio.se from (hiaiemala are smaller tlian the ^Mexican. 



Habits. Until recently this Hummin.i^f-r.ird has been i>resuined to be an 

 exclusively ]\Iexican ami Central American species. Until taken Mitliin our 

 limits, it had been supposed to bo confined on the north to the ]\Iexican plateau, 



