374 COSTA'S HUMMINGBIRD. 



examine its contents without necessarily disturbing the branch upon which it was 

 placed. A happy thought then and there occurred to me, and that was to exchange 

 these for the incubated eggs taken from the first nest. This was done, the female watching 

 the operation from a little branch about a foot above my head with all the composure 

 possible, and more, perhaps, than most birds would have submitted to under the circum- 

 stances. However, as it was done more in the light of an experiment — having carried 

 the eggs with me for more than a half hour — that they would hatch seemed to be 

 contrary to reason. But a surprise was in store for me, for when going to the nest, 

 just five days later, I found in it two little naked black things, which upon first inspec- 

 tion bore a strong resemblance to worms; these were the young and nicely they* were 

 doing, judging from their actions. 



"The old bird seemed to be well pleased too as she watched me from a neighboring 

 branch, while arranging her feathers, evidently wondering why I should take such a 

 deep interest in her treasures. And well she might have been pleased ; for incubation 

 had been robbed of all its tediousness in this case and the pair acting upon this assump- 

 tion undoubtedly hatched another brood, but not in such haste I venture to say. 



"In size and shape the eggs of this species resemble those of our eastern Hum- 

 mingbird, but, in color, they are more of a yellowish- white." 



This species ranges from Mexico to British Columbia, east to Utah and Arizona, 



being especially common in the coast region of California. 



NAMES: Black-chinned Hummingbird, Black-chinned Hummer. 



SCIENTIFIC NAMES: TROCHILUS ALBXANDRI Bourcier & Mulsant (1846). 



DESCRIPTION: Very similar to T. colubris. "Chin and upper part of throat, opaque velvety-black, without 

 metallic reflections, which are confined to the posterior border of the gorget, and are violet, sometimes 

 changing to steel-blue or green, instead of coppery-red. Female without the metallic scales; the tail- 

 feathers tipped with white; the tail, graduated, not emarginated; the innermost feather among the 

 longest. -7 Length of male, 3.30 inches; wing, 1.70; tail, 1.26; bill, .75." (B. B. & R., II, p. 450.) 



The Violet-throated Hummingbird, Trochilas violajugulum Jeffries, is only 

 known from the type specimen, taken in 1883 in Santa Barbara, Cal., by Mr. J. A. Jeffries. 



COSTA'S HUMAMNGBIRD. 



Caljpte castas Gould. 



I^HIS species is an inhabitant of southern California, southern Nevada and Arizona, 

 Lower California and Mexico. The beautiful bird was named by Bourcier ii\. 

 honor of the Marquis Costa de Beauregard. Mr. T. B. Gault, of Glen Ellyn, 111., sends 

 me the following very interesting communication on Costa's Hummingbird : 



"Arrow-head Hot Springs are distant about five miles from the city of San Ber- 

 nardino and situated a mile or more up the side of the San Bernardino Mountains. 

 The springs have acquired considerable notoriety from their medicinal properties, 



