243 
Besides nectar, its food seems to be composed of small flies, gnats, minute 
bees, wasps, and other flower-haunting and pollen-eating forms. Appar- 
ently no harm can be charged against the species and it may do good out 
of all proportion to its size. 
429. Black- chinned Hummingbird. Archilochus alexandri. L, 3-50. A small 
Hummer. Male: metallic bronzy-green above, dull whitish below. Throat and gorget 
black with purple- violet reflections on its lower edge. Female: similar, but with dull white 
throat. 
Distinctions. The male, with its black throat and gorget not elongated or projecting 
at the sides, is very distinctive; but the female and young birds are quite like similar plum- 
ages of the other Canadian Hummers. There is little geographical likelihood of confusion 
with the Ruby-throated. From the Rufous it may be easily separated by its lack of any 
rufous suffusion. From the Calliope by its larger size, solid dark throat in the male, and 
entire absence of rufous in the female. 
Field Marks. The black throat and gorget is a certain recognizable field mark for the 
male, but it must be remembered that these jewel-like gorget colours in other species only 
flash out when viewed from particular angles, and from many directions they show as 
black. Females do not show ruddy on flanks and undertail as do the Rufous and Calliope 
H umm ers. 
Nesting. Nest a beautiful structure of vegetable down and cobwebs saddled on a 
branch. 
Distribution. Western North America, from British Columbia to northern Mexico, 
east to Montana. In Canada, only on the coast and in the interior of southern British 
Columbia. Not so far noted on Vancouver island. Most common in the interior valleys. 
A rare and rather local little Hummer. 
433. Rufous Hummingbird. Selasphorus rufus. L, 3 '50. Plate XXXIX B. 
Male: all above bright, brick red, not iridescent except for slight green reflections on crown. 
Red suffuses over underparts leaving band below gorget white. Throat and gorget fiery 
red. Female and juveniles: bronzy, iridescent green above, with base of tail rufous at 
sides; below, dull white washed with rufous on flanks and undertail coverts. Usually 
irregular spots of flaming iridescence on throat. 
Distinctions. The male with its red back and flaming gorget, elongated and projecting 
at the sides like a shield, is unmistakable. The large amount of rufous wash on the body 
will identify the female and young birds from the Black-chinned, but they may be difficult 
to separate from similar Calliope Hu mmin gbirds even when in hand. 
Field Marks As above distinctions. 
Nesting. Nest a beautiful structure of lichens and cobwebs saddled on a branch. 
Distribution. Western North America from the southern Yukon boundary to New 
Mexico. In Canada, British Columbia and the adjacent foothills of Alberta. It is not 
known to extend east on the prairies. 
This is the common Hummingbird of British Columbia, and is seen in 
suitable localities everywhere. One of the problems of common bird life is 
what becomes of the male hummingbirds in the summer. In spring, and 
while the species are mating, the sexes are equally common, but as soon 
as nesting duties are seriously engaged in, the brilliant, jewel-throated male 
ceases his interest in proceedings and not only lets his more sober- 
coloured mate take the whole burden of family raising, but disappears from 
the scene entirely. That the gay Lothario follows the flower season up 
the mountain sides and, in the alpine meadows at higher altitudes, finds a 
prolonged flower-producing spring, sounds reasonable, but so far lacks 
demonstration. At any rate, it fails to explain a similar disappearance 
of the male Ruby-throated that lives out on the flat lands far from such moun- 
tain summer resorts. The phenomenon being common to all the Hummers 
requires an explanation that will fit them all. The author suspects that the 
males depart on their southward migration as early as July like some of 
the Waders. 
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