::::;::::*? TWO BIRD -LOVERS IN MEXICO :#::::::::: 



When first we caught sight of a tiny form perched 

 upon a twig, we realized that we were indeed in a new 

 world of birds, for this was no Ruby-throat. 



To our Eastern eyes this was a strange, foreign bird ; 

 but a Californian would have recognized it at once. It 

 was the Costa Hummingbird, like ourselves, a winter 

 visitor to these parts. His mite of a body was green 

 above and whitish below, while his head was encased 

 in a marvellous helmet of burnished violet, an ame- 

 thystine scale armour, which flashed blue, green, and 

 violet by turns. This was the most abundant hum- 

 mingbird of the Guadalajara ditches, during the first 

 week in January. The first individual at which we 

 had a good look proved to be in exceptionally perfect 

 plumage. The others of his kind were young birds in 

 moult, with the iridescent feathers few and scattered, 

 the majority being still buried in their enfolding 

 sheaths. After a Aveek all the individuals of this spe- 

 cies disappeared and we saw no more during our stay. 



A second hummingbird, typical of the ditches, was 

 clad in green and buff, with a gorget of gold, green, 

 and fiery red. This was the Rufous Hummingbird, and 

 we were glad to see him in the life ; for his fame as 

 a traveller had long been known to us. Here he was 

 near the northern limit of his winter home ; but in the 

 spring his race will hum away to the mountains of 

 the North, some content to nest in the higher altitudes 

 of the Western States, but many brave little fellows 



^. 56 -^ 



