1908] Blue Birds of the Maritime Provinces. 175 



school students, who are expected to take up Nature Studv, and 

 who have rare opportunities of observing the bluebird (Sialia 

 sialis). there seems to be a trend of opinion that the blue jav 

 (Cyanocitta cristata) may be the bluebird. At a recent meeting, 

 when this subject was brought up, it was found that one normal 

 student had seen an indigo bird (Passerina cyanea), one of our 

 blue birds that is very rare in the Maritime Provinces. Another 

 student knew of a bird that had blue upon the back, but had a 

 brownish breast ; as it was not blue all over, it was not thought 

 to be the real bluebird. Others wished to know if the bluebird 

 and blue jay were the same species. Without a doubt manv 

 people would be surprised to know that we have over a score 

 of land birds with blue coloured plumage. In some of these the 

 blue colour is decidedly noticeable, in others it is found onlv 

 as bluish reflections in the breeding plumage. A number of the 

 waders and water birds have blue in various hues, on different 

 parts, but of these we shall not treat in detail. The birds we will 

 refer to in comparing the size of the different species are the 

 crow, robin, English or house sparrow, and the goldfinch or 

 thistle-bird, all of which must be fairly w^ell known to most 

 Canadians. 



Sialia sialis, the real Bluebird. The male has the upper 

 parts, wings and tail bright blue, tipped with rusty in the fall; 

 throat, breast and sides chestnut or rufous; belly white. The 

 female is paler throughout ; the upper parts having a gravish 

 tinge; the throat, breast and sides paler. Slightly larger than the 

 house sparrow. The song of the male (if song it may be called) 

 is a melodious chee-er-ie whistle. In the fall the call of both 

 sexes is a soft and gentle tur-ivee. For a nesting site a hole in a 

 tree, or a hollow fence post is selected, and occasionally houses 

 put up for martins are occupied by this species. The nest is 

 composed of grasses, with the finer parts inside. Feathers are 

 often used in the lining. The eggs are pale bluish, rarelv pure 

 white, and number from four to six. The period of incubation 

 varies with the season; from fourteen to eighteen days. The 

 food consists of insects of many kinds, which are sometimes 

 caught in the air after the manner of the flycatchers. For a 

 number of years the bluebird was very rare with us, but during 

 the last five years it has become quite common. The principle 

 enemies of the bluebird are small hawks, squirrels and domestic 

 cats. This bird arrives from the south from early April until 

 the last of May, and stays until well on into October. 



SiTTA carolinensis, the White-breasted Nuthatch. The 

 adult male has top of head and fore part of back black; rest of 

 upper parts bluish-grav ; inner secondaries bluish-gray with black 

 markings; middle tail feathers bluish-gray. Female similar but 



