200 
RUFF-XECKED II UMMIX G-BIRD. 
much longer, the first a little shorter than the lateral ; claws rather long, 
arched, compressed, 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. 
KUFF-NECKED HUMMING-BIRD. 
i 
Selasphorus rdfus, 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 fol- 
lowing notices from my friends, Mr. Nuttall and Mr. Townsend, will, I 
donbt not, prove highly interesting. 
“ We began,” says the first of these enterprising travellers, “ to meet with 
this species near the Blue Mountains of the Colum'bia river, in the autumn, 
as we proceeded to the west. These w r ere 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 th» 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, 
