1GG 



ZOOLOGY BIRDS. 



POLIOPTILA O33RULEA (L.) 

 Blue-gray Gnatcatcltcr. 



Motacilla ccerulca, LINN., Syst. Nat., i, 17CG, 337. 



Cvlieivora cccrulea, WOODH., Sitgreave's Exp. Zuili & Col. Eiv., 1854, G7. 



Polioptila cccrulea, BD., Ivcs' Col. Exped., 1857-58, pt, iv, 0. Id, Birds N. A., 1858, 

 380. COUES, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sei. Phila., ISGfi, 66 (Fort Wliipple). BD , 

 U. S. & Mex. Bouud. Surv., ii, pt. ii, 1859, Birds, 13. HEERM., P. E. Ii. Itep., 

 x, pt. iv, 1850, 39. XANTUS, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1859, 191 (Fort 

 Ti-jon, Cal.). UENIIY, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila,, 1859, 107 (New Mexico). 

 HAYD., Trans. Philo. Soc. Phila., xii, 1862, 164. BD., Rev. Am. Birds, i, 

 18G4, 74. COOPER, Birds Cal., 1870, 35. Id, Proc. Cal. Acad., 1870, 75. 

 ALLEN, Bui. Mas. Comp. Zoo!., iii, 1872, 174 (Eastern Kansas). SNOW, 

 Birds Kan., 1872, 9. COUES, U. S. Geol. Surv. Terr., Birds Northwest, 

 1874, 17. Id., Key N. A. Birds, 1872, 78. HENSHAW, Rep. Orn. Specs., 

 1873, Wheeler's Exped., 1874, 99. 



This little bird appears to be sparingly, though quite generally, dis- 

 tributed in New Mexico and Arizona, where I have seen it in several 

 localities, though I have never detected the closely allied forms P. melanura 

 and plumbea, which are both said to occur in Arizona. The Blue-gray 

 Gnatcatcher is of a very lively disposition, and keeps so constantly in 

 motion that to observe its habits is a matter of no little difficulty, as it moves 

 rapidly from tree to tree, scanning the foliage and twigs as it passes along 

 with quick, nervous turnings of its head and rapid glancings of its eyes. 

 They are also expert fly-catchers, and their flying sallies are frequent and 

 usually successful. They are most often found in the oaks that are scat- 

 tered over the hill sides, or in the scrub of the foot hills, and are not found 

 in the mountains. 



