1908] Grinnell—Biota of the San Bernardino Mountains. 73 
mingbird ascertained to nest in those belts, though the mistake 
might easily be made of assigning to them others which enter the 
region early in July only as transients. The dryer desert ranges 
did not seem to offer quite the right combination of attractions 
for this hummer; for we found none north or east of Bear lake, 
where on the north shore, in the vicinity of a group of tamarack 
pines, several were seen, and a full grown juvenal taken July 31, 
1905. A very few were noted earlier in the same month in the 
vicinity of Bluff lake. 
But it was in the region lying between the upper Santa Ana 
and the San Gorgonio ridge, that the Calliope hummingbird was 
observed to best advantage. Here it was noted as high as 9300 
feet altitude, above Dry lake. In certain places, such as the lower 
Fish creek canon, and the cienagas towards the head of the South 
Fork, these birds were actually abundant—fully as numerous as 
I have ever seen the Anna hummingbird in the valleys of Cali- 
fornia. 
The females of Stellula calliope have a decidedly rusty-red- 
dish color at a distance, thus resembling the females of Selas- 
phorus rufus or S. alleni, and it would be difficult for one un- 
familar with it to recognize the former with certainty, if there 
were no means of judging the size. But a collector’s familiarity 
with the birds in the field brings with it the conviction that I can 
always distinguish a female Calliope, even when I would not be 
so sure of the relative size of the bird in question. There are 
certain peculiarities of poise and flight, impossible to describe 
intelligibly, which characterize it; and the attenuated squeaky 
notes, so faint and difficult to locate, have a quality all their 
own. Of course with the brightly-gorgeted males there is no 
trouble at all in recognition. 
The female Calliopes are wont to stay in the ravines and 
canons, where the streams are lined with columbines; while the 
dashing males each have a valiantly defended patch of goose- 
berries or manzanitas, high on the mountain side. The males are 
pugnacious, and each has his own flower preserve and regular 
perch (on some bush-tip) from which he drives all intruders, 
whether of his own species or another. As far as my observations 
went I saw not the least evidence that the male has anything 
