200 RUFF-NECKED HUMMING-BIRD. 



the first a little shorter than the lateral; claws rather long, arched, com- 

 pressed, very acute. Plumage soft and blended; elongated feathers on the 

 sides of the neck in the males. Wings rather short, falcate, pointed, the 

 second primary longest. Tail rather long, broad, graduated. 



RUFF-NECKED HUMMING-BIRD. 



Selasphorus rttfus, GmeL 

 PLATE CCLIV.— Males and Female. 



This charming Humming-bird was discovered by the great navigator, 

 Captain Cook, who found it abundant at Nootka Sound. It does not appear 

 to have been seen by Dr. Richardson or Mr. Drummond in the northern 

 parts of America, traversed by those most zealous and highly talented 

 naturalists. As no account has hitherto been given of its habits, the 

 following notices from my friends Mr. Nuttall and Mr. Townsend, will, 

 I doubt not, prove highly interesting. 



"We began," says the first of these enterprising travellers, "to meet with 

 this species near the Blue Mountains of the Columbia river, in the autumn, 

 as we proceeded to the west. These were all young birds, and were not 

 very easily distinguished from those of the common species of the same age. 

 We now for the first time (April 16) saw the males in numbers, darting, 

 burring, and squeaking in the usual manner of their tribe; but when engaged 

 in collecting its accustomed sweets in all the energy of life, it seemed like a 

 breathing gem, or magic carbuncle of glowing fire, stretching out its 

 gorgeous ruff, as if to emulate the sun itself in splendour. Towards the close 

 of May, the females were sitting, at which time the males were uncommonly 

 quarrelsome and vigilant, darting out at me as I approached the tree 

 probably near the nest, looking like an angry coal of brilliant fire, passing 

 within very little distance of my face, returning several times to the attack, 

 sinking and darting with the utmost velocity, at the same time uttering a 

 curious reverberating sharp bleat, somewhat similar to the quivering twang 

 of a dead twig, yet also so much like the real bleat of some small quadruped, 



