270 Annals of the Carnegie Museum. 



the banana-groves of San Jose. These plantations of the Indians are 

 very extensive along the banks of the Guatapuri, at an elevation of 

 6000 feet, and are the highest banana-cultivation in the Nevada. This 

 Humming-bird is pretty common here, but solitary ; and I seldom saw- 

 more than three or, at the most, four in an afternoon. It betrays its 

 presence, not only by the well-known bur-rr of the wings, but also by 

 a sharp double note uttered as it flits from flower to flower. Alighting 

 suddenly on a branch in the shade, it will remain minute after minute 

 without the slightest movement. On these occasions I used to watcli 

 them carefully, but never could see them fly away, they disappeared as 

 they came, like phantoms. 



" ' Visiting San Sebastian in June, I was surprised to find the same 

 little beauty, identical in plumage but with totally different habits. 

 Instead of shunning the sun, as among the bananas, it establishes it- 

 self on the topmost twig of some dead branch or scantily clothed tree, 

 and passes the day filling the air vvith its loud plaintive note in answer 

 to its mate. Every now and then, as a sort of exercise, it would shoot 

 up into the air like a rocket, sound a very pretty twit-twit, turn a few 

 somersaults, and descend gracefully with tail-teathers spread out like 

 a fan. These aerial movements are excessively beautiful, and always 

 resorted to, even if the bird is disturbed. In this latter case it does 

 not return to its accustomed perch, but seeks another tree close by, 

 where it sings on merrily till all danger is past; it always, however, 

 returns to its old haunt. I watched one for a fortnight, and it never 

 forsook its adopted perch. Another I fired at four .times successively 

 without effect; in spite of this it always returned to the same tree. 

 They are very wary and difficult to shoot ; and I have spent days dodg- 

 ing them backwards and forwards without getting near enough for a 

 shot. June and July are the flowering months in the elevated re- 

 gions. This may attract them; for I have met with them in all parts 

 of the Nevada, especially in a valley at an elevation of 11,000 feet, 

 where they were abundant, but so shy that there was no approaching 

 them within a hundred yards. On crossing to the northern flank I 

 found them as low down as San Miguel, 6000 feet. At San Antonio, 

 3450 feet, not ten miles distant, they were unknown. 



" ' On previous visits to San Sebastian in February and March this 

 species was not there; but the Indians told me that after the forest 

 rains a very beautiful " Chupa-flor " puts in an appearance, without. 



