M6 BIRDS 



tecture. It is usually placed on a horizontal limb in a decid- 

 uous tree on timbered hillsides or along streams, and some- 

 times about gardens. Externally the nest is covered with 

 small hchens, which the bird removes from the bark of dead 

 timber. These lichens are held in place by spider webs, 

 which the birds carefully weave about the nest. Down from 

 the Cottonwood and willow is used as a lining. Into this 

 dainty receptacle two long, narrow white eggs are laid. Two 

 broods are reared in a season and the birds frequently use 

 the same nest for both broods. 



THE BLACK-CHINNED HUMMING-BIRD* 



The Black-chinned Humming-bird has a long and nar- 

 row range extending along the Pacific Coast from southern 

 British Columbia southward into southern Mexico, where it 

 passes the winter. Eastward its range extends to western 

 Montana, western Colorado, New Mexico, and western 

 Texas. In some portions of this range it is very abundant, 

 while in others that are apparently as well suited to its hab- 

 its it is rare, or never seen at all. 



This humming-bird, which also bears the names purple- 

 throated and Alexandre's humming-bird, is very similar in 

 its habits to our eastern ruby-throat. Even in its call notes 

 and antics while wooing its mate it is almost a counterpart 

 of the eastern species. 



Next to the Anna's humming-bird, the black-chinned is 

 the most conspicuous of all the humming-birds that frequent 

 southern California. At twilight it is a frequent visitor to 

 the orange groves, and later, as night approaches, it retires 



