THE HUMMING BIRDS. 343 



represents the middle pair as green witb a continuous broad border of 

 rufons, and the outer pair as uniform purplish dusky, the intermediate 

 feathers being rufous with a narrow median stripe of purplish dusky, 

 expanding into a wedge-shaped space near the tip. The coloration of 

 the tail as represented in the plate agrees very well with that of the 

 San Francisco specimen, except that the latter has the basal half of 

 the inner web of the outer tail-feathers rufous, and lacks the rufous 

 border around the end of the middle feathers, the rufous running out 

 to the edge a little past the middle of the feather, and thus confined to 

 a little more than the basal half. 



This most beautiful Humming Bird is so rare that only two examples 

 have been recorded, while the female is unknown. The history of the 

 type specimen is thus told by Mr. Gould: 



One of the very finest birds in the Loddigesian Collection was presented to the 

 late Mr. George Loddiges by Mr. Floresi. The specimen is in the best state of 

 preservation, and the bird must have been killed immediately after its moulting 

 bud been completed, wheu its plumage was in its greatest beauty. It would, indeed, 

 be most difficult, if not impossible, to represent tbe color of tbe head and throat by 

 any artistic means at our command. In brilliancy it fully equals that of the freshly 

 moulted males of Selasphorus rufus, but differs from that and all the other known 

 species of the genus iu having the entire crown, as well as the gorget, of the brightest 

 flame color. In the form and coloring of its tail it is a true Selasphorus while the 

 disposition of the colors of the body allies it to Calypte. 



I have been kindly permitted by Miss Loddiges to take a drawing of the bird, and 

 that lady has also placed in my hands the following note made by her father in 

 reference to this species: 



"August 11, 1845. Mr. Floresi sent me a most beautiful Humming Bird, which I call 

 Floresii. It is from Bolanos, and is nearly allied to Anna, but is much more brightly 

 colored ; viewed in front, it is scarlet, the sides of the collar are ruby color or crimson, 

 the head is bright ruby color, and the tail is something like that of platycercus, but 

 has brown inner webs. Mr. Floresi says it is the only one he has ever seen. 



The specimen which I have described above was discovered in a tax* 

 idermist's shop in San Francisco, California, in 1885, by Mr. Walter E. 

 Bryant, of that city, to whom I am indebted for the pleasure of inspect- 

 ing it. It had been mounted as a " hat bird," and the taxidermist 

 who stuffed it assured Mr. Bryant that the specimen had been killed 

 in the vicinity of the city. (See Forest and Stream, vol. xxvi, p. 426.) 



Rufous Humming Bird. Selasphorus rufus (Gmel.). 



(Plate xl. ) 



Trochilus rufus Gmel., S. N. i, 1788, 497.— Aud., Orn. Biog. iv, 1838,555.— Nutt., 

 Man. 2d ed. I, 1840, 714. 

 Trochilus (Selasphorus) ruftis Swains., F. B.-A. II, 1831, 324. 



Selasphorus rufus Aud., Syuop. 1839, 171; B. Am. iv, 1842, 200, pi. 254.— Gould, 

 Mon. Troch. pt. in, 1854, pi. 5 (part) ; vol. in, 1861, pi. 141 (part).— Coop., 

 Orn. Cal. i, 1870, 355.— B. B. and R., Hist. N. Am. B. n, 1874, 459, pi. 47, 

 fig. 4. 

 Selasphorus henshaivi Elliot, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, n, Oct. 1877, 97, 102 ; Class, and 

 Synop. Troch. 1879, 111. 



