ANNA HUMMING-BIRD.
Ornismya anna, Lesson, Oiseaux Mouches, 1830, (? pl. cxxiv. Trochilus anna, Jardine, Nat. Lib. Humming-Birds, I, 93, pl. vi.—Aud. Orn. Biog. V, 1839, 428, pl. ccccxxviii.—Ib. Birds America, IV, 1842, 188, pl. cclii.—Heerm. X, S, 56 (nest). Calliphlox anna, Gambel, Pr. A. N. Sc. Phil. III, 1846, 3.—Ib. Journ. 2d ser. I, 1847, 32. Trochilus (Atthis) anna, Reichenbach, Cab. Jour. Extraheft for 1853, 1854, App. 12. Trochilus icterocephalus, Nuttall, Man. I, (2d ed.,) 1840, 712 (male with forehead covered with yellow pollen). Atthis anna, Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 137. Calypte annæ, Gould, Introd. Trochilidæ.—Cooper, Orn. Cal. 1, 1870, 358.
Calypte anna.
5501 ♂ 44953 ♀
Sp. Char. Largest of North American species of Humming-Bird. Tail deeply forked; external feather narrow, linear. Top of the head, throat, and a moderate ruff, metallic crimson-red, with purple reflections. Rest of upper parts and a band across the breast green. Tail-feathers purplish-brown, darkest centrally. In the female the tail is slightly rounded, not emarginate; the scales of the head and throat are wanting. Tail barred with black, and tipped with white. Length, about 3.60; wing, 2.00; tail, 1.45.
Hab. Mexico and coast region of California.
Calypte anna.
The C. floresi of the table-lands of Mexico resembles this species in every respect except the tail, which is somewhat like that of Selasphorus rufus. The only North American species to which the male of this bird bears any resemblance is the A. costæ, which has the same metallic crown and other generic features. The latter, however, is much smaller; has the metallic reflections varied, chiefly violet, instead of nearly uniform purplish-red. The tail is much less deeply forked, the depth being only about .10 of an inch, instead of .32; the outer feather is much narrower. The females of the two, however, appear to be distinguishable only by their relative size. The absence of rufous, and the rounded, not graduated, tail always separates the female of anna from that of Selasphorus rufus. The larger size is the chief distinction from the female Calypte costæ, while the size and less acutely pointed outer tail-feathers distinguish it from the female Trochilus colubris.
We have never seen any specimens of this bird taken out of California, nor quoted of late years as occurring in Mexico, although stated by Gould to belong to the table-lands.