22(3 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



of an inch in width by five-eighths of an inch in depth. Open woods and the 

 edges of chaparral thickets near roads or paths seem to be preferred for pur- 

 poses of niditication. Probably two broods are raised in a season. The 

 earliest nesting record I have is April 23; the latest, June 16. The eggs 

 resemble those of our better-known Hummers in color and shape, and appear 

 rather small for the size of the bird. 



The average measurement of eighteen specimens in the United States 

 National Museum collection is 13.23 by 8.57 millimetres, or about 0.52 by 0.34 

 inch. The largest egg measures 14.22 by 8.89 millimetres, or 0.56 by 0.35 

 inch; the smallest, 12.19 by 8.64 millimetres, or 0.48 by 0.34 inch. 



The type specimen, No. 26800 (not figured), from a set of two eggs, Ralph 

 collection, was taken near Brownsville, Texas, on May 9, 1892. 



8i. Basilinna xantusi (Lawrence). 



XANTUS'S HUMMINGBIRD. 



Amazilhi xantusi Lawrence, Annals Lyceum, New York, 1860, 109. 

 Basilinna xanthusi Elliott, Classification and Synopsis of the Trochilidpe, March, 

 1879, 227. 



(B — , C 273, R 347, C 407, U 440.) 



Geographical range : Southern Lower California, north to about latitude 29°. 



Xantus's Hummingbird appears to be confined to the southern half of the 

 peninsula of Lower California, where it was first discovered by Mr. J. Xantus 

 in the fall of 1859. It was described by Mr. George N. Lawrence in April, 

 1860, who named it in honor of its discoverer. Mr. Xantus did not communi- 

 cate anything regarding the general habits of this species, and nothing further 

 was learned about it until Mr. L. Belding visited the same regions and obtained 

 its nests and eggs, in the spring of 1882. According to this gentleman, it is a 

 mountain-loving species, in winter frequenting the canyons in close proximity 

 to water, while in summer it is distributed through the orchards and gardens, 

 where it nests. 



Mr. Walter E. Bryant, in his "Catalogue of Birds of Lower California," 

 states: "I have found them only in mountainous country where there was abun- 

 dance of water, from Comondu as far north as latitude 29°. None were seen 

 on the islands." 1 



Mr. Belding, in speaking of this species, says: "It was common at the 

 western base of Cacachiles Mountains in February; more so, in fact, than 

 Galypte costce. It was not observed at San Jose until some time after my arrival, 

 though it occurred in canyons only 2 or 3 miles to the westward. About the 

 last of April it was common in orchards at San Jose. While incubating this 

 species is very confiding and courageous, sometimes remaining upon the nest 

 until removed from it by -the hand. A nest taken April 23, 1882, at San Jose, 



■Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, second series, Vol. II, 1889, pp. 289, 290. 



