86 The Ottawa Naturalist. . [July 



of their nesting places for over twenty years without seeing one 

 here. 



My migration notes are unsatisfactory. The earliest arrival 

 was noted May 7th, 1900, the last noted being October 14th, 1899, 

 and October i6th, 1900. These dates could probably be extended 

 both ways, as they are taken after only a few hours spent in the 

 "Sand Hills" with long intervals between each visit. 



For the benefit of readers that are not acquainted with the 

 different bluebirds of North America, the following distinguishing 

 features of our Canadian species may prove of interest: 



Blufbird (.S". sia/is). Male : above azure blue ; throat and 

 breast rusty brown ; belly whitish. Female : blue of back more 

 grayish brown ; breast less rusty. Male in winter much the same 

 as female. 



Western Bluebird {S. mexicaiia occidentalis). Male distin- 

 guished from S. sialis by having rusty brown on fore back and the 

 throat blue. Female duller. The range of this species is given 

 in Chapman's Colour Key, as "Pacific coast from Northern Lower 

 California north to British Columbia," etc. 



Mountain Bluebird, [S. arcticd). Male : above bright blue; 

 throat and breast rather paler ; belly whitish. Female : above 

 bluish gray, with very slight brownish tint ; rump blue ; throat and 

 breast bluish buflf ; belly white. The specimens observed closely 

 by me seem to be distinctly bluer than the description in Chapman s 

 Colour Key. This species is said to breed from "Sierra Nevada 

 east to the plains, and from New Mexico north to the great Slave 

 Lake region." 



There is practically no diff"erence in the length of these three 

 birds. 





