Oregon and California.

This is the smallest of North American Hummers, being but 3 inches in
length. It is greenish above and has a violet gorget showing the white
bases of the feathers. They build their nests in all manner of locations
from high up in tall pines to within a foot of the ground in slender
bushes. The nests are made interiorly with plant down, but the outside
is generally grayish colored shreds and lichens. The eggs average but a
trifle smaller than those of _colubris_, .45 x .30.

437. LUCIFER'S HUMMINGBIRD. _Calothorax lucifer._

Range.--Mexico, north to southwestern Texas and Arizona.

This species, which is common in parts of Central Mexico, occurs only
casually north to our borders and has not yet been found nesting there.
They build small compact nests of plant down attached to the stalks or
leaves of plants or weeds.

438. REIFFER'S HUMMINGBIRD. _Amizilis tzacatl._

Range.--Abundant in southern Mexico; casual in southern Texas.

This species is greenish above, with a bronzy lustre; the tail is
reddish brown, and the throat and breast are metallic green. They breed
abundantly about houses and nest apparently at all seasons of the year
in Central America, where they are the most common species of Hummers.

[Illustration 280: 436--437--438.]
[Illustration: deco.]
[Illustration: left hand margin.]

Page 279

439. BUFF-BELLIED HUMMINGBIRD. _Amizilis cerviniventris chalconota._

Range.--Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas and southward through Mexico.

These birds are like the last but have the underparts a pale brownish
buff color. They are quite common in their summer range in the United
States, nesting at a low elevation in bushes and low trees. The two eggs
are white, .50 x .35. Data.--Brownsville, Texas, May 5, 1892. Nest of
fine bark-like fibre on the outside, lined with lint from thistle plant;
located on limb of small hackberry. Collector, Frank G. Armstrong.

440. XANTUS' HUMMINGBIRD. _Basilinna xantusi._

Range.--Southern Lower California.

A handsome species, greenish above, with a coppery tinge and shading
into reddish brown on the tail; under parts buffy, throat metallic
green, and a broad white streak behind the eye. They breed on the ranges
making a similar nest to those of other Hummers, placed on weeds or
bushes near the ground. The eggs cannot be distinguished from those of
the majority of other species.

440.1. WHITE-EARED HUMMINGBIRD. _Basilinna leucotis._