72 University of California Publications in Zoology. [Vou.5 
searee, and even when seen a chance was seldom given to take 
note of the color of the dorsum. I took eighteen specimens of 
the two species, all adult females and immatures. I have as- 
sorted these into twelve skins of alleni and six of rufus, though 
with the immature birds positive identification is difficult, and I 
am uncertain in two or three of the cases. If the proportion of 
specimens taken is any criterion, then allen: is much the more 
common of the two. At any rate, I am confident that neither 
species breeds anywhere in the region which I explored; both 
oceur as transients, though tarrying perhaps two months in sum- 
mer during the season of abundant flowers and plentiful insect 
food. This is at a season when the earlier spring of lower al- 
titudes has given way to the dry and barren summer, compelling 
the birds to move into more productive zones, wherever these may 
be reached. 
The earliest (of either or both species) seen in the region were 
two observed about flowering gooseberry bushes, June 28, 1905, 
near the head of the south fork of the Santa Ana, 8500 feet al- 
titude. In 1906 the first was noted at about 9000 feet altitude 
on Sugarloaf, July 11. This was an adult male rufus, sipping at 
castillejas; its back was plainly seen to be uniform bright rufous. 
In 1907 the first Selasphorus seen, species indeterminable, was 
at our South Fork camp on the upper Santa Ana, July 5. By 
the middle of July and on through August, Selasphori were com- 
mon almost everywhere we went. They were numerous in the 
vicinity of Bluff lake, July 16 to 26; and again August 29 a few 
were seen there. The species were well represented at Cushen- 
bury springs, August 10 to 14; and at Cactus Flat August 15 
to 17. On the north side of Sugarloaf, August 22, two were seen 
at about 8500 feet altitude, and several were noted August 26, 
on the north side of Gold mountain, 7500 feet altitude. 
Stellula calliope (Gould). Calliope Hummingbird. 
This, the smallest of the six species of hummingbirds regular- 
ly visiting or inhabiting California, and the rarest, proved to be 
a common breeding species of the higher San Bernardino moun- 
tains. It appeared to be exclusively confined to the upper Tran- 
sition and Canadian zones; and it was the only species of hum- 
