BULLETIN 
OF THE 
NUTTALL OENITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 
Vol. II. JULY, 1877. 
DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF HUMMING-BIRD 
FROM CALIFORNIA. 
BY H. W. HENSHAW. 
Selasphorus alleni, Nobis. 
Sp. Char. — Adult Male. Two outer tail-feathers very narrow, linear, 
the outer nearly acicular ; second only slightly larger ; third abruptly 
larger. Upper parts bright golden-green, dullest on the crown. Under 
tail-coverts, sides, and belly rufous, paler along the median line. Jugulum 
white. Wings purplish-dusky. Tail-feathers cinnamon, tipped and edged 
with purplish-brown. Throat and ruff bright coppery-red, with brassy- 
green reflections. Female similar to the female of S. rufus, but smaller ; 
tail-feathers narrower, especially the outer. 
Habitat. Coast district of California ; northward ? 
Differential Diagnoses. 
S. RUFUS. — Male. Tail-feathers successively graduated in size, the outer 
the smallest ; fourth from the outer abruptly attenuated^ and with a deep 
notch at the base of attenua- 
tion on the inner web. Crown 
(only) metallic-green. Up- 
per parts clear cinnamon, 
sometimes with flakes and 
patches of metallic-green on 
the back. 
S. al-LENI. — Male. 
Smaller. Two outer tail- 
feathers very narrow, linear, 
the outer nearly acicular ; 
No. 3. 
* These figures were kindly drawn by Mr. Ridgway, and afford a very exact 
idea of the differences in the form of the tails of the two birds. 
