“Here is April!” cuckoo cries From the tall tree near the skies; “April! April!” croaks the frog From his dank hole in the bog; “April!” sings the thrush again From his clay nest in the lane. April, ’tis thy merry weather Makes the wild colt burst his tether; April in his royal dower Has soft sunbeam and sharp shower; April is the very soul of youth, Eye of love, and heart of truth— That is April. —Walter Thornbury, “The Twelve Brothers.” THE BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD. (_Trochilus alexandri._) To the ornithologist who may be so fortunate as to visit Southern California in the spring, when Nature has put on her holiday attire, and everything appears at its best, our friends, the feathered midgets, will contribute not a little to the pleasure of his stay. —Benjamin T. Gault. The Black-chinned Hummingbird has a long and narrow range extending along the Pacific coast from Southern British Columbia southward into Southern Mexico, where it passes the winter. Eastward its range extends to Western Montana, Western Colorado, New Mexico, and Western Texas. In some portions of this range it is very abundant, while in others that are apparently as well suited to its habits it is rare, or never seen at all. This Hummingbird, which also bears the name Purple-throated and Alexandre’s Hummingbird, is very similar in its habits to our eastern ruby-throat. Even in its call notes and antics while wooing its mate it is almost a counterpart of the eastern species. Next to the Anna’s hummingbird, the Black-chinned is the most conspicuous of all the hummingbirds that frequent southern California. At twilight it is a frequent visitor to the orange groves, and later, as night approaches, it retires to the mountain sides, where, with numerous individuals of its own kind and other birds, it finds a resting place through the dark hours.