THE HUMMING BIRDS. 345 



Adult female (No. 1943, Columbia Biver, Oregon, May 29, 1835; J. K. 

 Towusend) : Above brouze-green, becoming dull grayish brown, very 

 faintly glossed with bronze-green, on forehead and crown : upper tail 

 coverts and feathers of the rump cinnamon rufous with green tips, the 

 longer tail-coverts with the edges also rufous; middle tail-feathers 

 with the basal half (concealed by the coverts) deep cinnamon-rufous, 

 except along the median line, which is metallic green, like the terminal 

 portion ; three outer tail-feathers broadly tipped with white, this pre- 

 ceded by a broad space of purplish black, this by a smaller space of 

 metallic green, the basal portion cinnamon-rufous, the outermost feather 

 having a mere trace of the green, and on outer web only ; fourth 

 feather with the tip purplish black for about 0.22 of an inch, then green 

 for about O.l'O of an inch (measured along shaft), the remaining portion 

 cinnamon-rufous. Lores, orbital region, and ear-coverts light cinna- 

 mon; a small white spot immediately behind eye. Chin and throat 

 white, the latero-posterior portion of the latter spotted with greenish 

 bronze, and the lower median portion covered by an irregular patch of 

 metallic scarlet ; chest white; sides and flanks light ciunamou-rufous, 

 fading into white on median portion of breast and belly; under tail- 

 coverts pale cinnamon-rufous with whitish tips. Bill and feet black. 

 Length (skin), 3.60; wing, 1.78; tail, 1.12, outer feathers 0.20 shorter; 

 exposed culmen, 0.72. 



Young male (No. 84129, Fort Whipple, Arizona, August 22, 1864; E. 

 Coues) : Similar to the adult female, but more golden green above, the 

 top of the head nearly as bright as the back; middle tail-feathers 

 chiefly rufous, but with larger dusky terminal space than in adult male; 

 beneath as in adult female, but chin and throat conspicuously spotted, 

 the spots small and brownish anteriorly, large and bronze-green pos- 

 teriorly; center of throat showing several metallic golden red new 

 feathers, of the adult plumage ; outer primary broader. 



Young female (No. 36912, Fort Whipple, Arizona, August 22, 1864; 

 E. Coues): Similar to the young male, but green above much less 

 golden, and with no rufous showing on rump, while that on upper tail- 

 feathers is confined to the margins of the feathers ; middle tail-feathers 

 almost wholly green, only the lateral portions of the extreme base being 

 pale brownish with a rusty tinge; outer primary broader and more 

 curved. 



Adult males vary in regard to the color of the back, which is 

 usually (?) without a trace of metallic green, but often has more or 

 less of this color, even the rump being sometimes mixed with green- 

 tipped feathers. When the green is present, however, it is never con- 

 tinuous as in S. alleni nor nearly so extensive, while the peculiar form 

 of the tail-feathers, so different from those of 8. alleni, is just the same 

 as in those examples which have the back and rump wholly rufous. In 

 the color of the ruff or gorget there is very little variation, except that 

 when the plumage becomes old the color becomes "tarnished" to a 



