G2 



XORTTI AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Sialia, Swainson, Z- 



GrEN. CUAK. U 



Genus SIALIA, Swainson. 



Jill. .Iniir. Ill, St'pt. IS'27, 173. (Type MotaciUa sialis, L.I 



Sialia sialis. 



hort, stout, broader than high at the base, then compressed; slightly 

 notched at tip. Rictus with short bristlL'.". 

 Tarsi not longer than the middle toe. Claws 

 considerably curved. Wings much longer than 

 the tail ; the first primary spurious, not one 

 Iburth the longest. Tail moderate; .'ilightly 

 Ibrked. Eggs plain blue. Nest in holes. 



Tlie species of tliis <;enus are all well 

 marked, and adult males are easily 

 distiii.i^aiisliable. In all, lilue forms a 

 prominent feature. Three well-marked 

 species are known, with a fourth less 

 distinct. The females are duller, in 

 color than the males. The young are spotted and streaked with white. 



Synopsis of Species. 



Cu.M.MON CiiAKACTERS. Rich bluc abovc, duller in tlic I'emale. Beneath reddish 

 or blue in the male, reddish or light drab in the female. Young witli wings and 

 tails only blue, the head and anterior parts of body with numerous whitish spots. 

 A« BreriKt reddish^ or chestnut. 



1. S. sialis. No chestnut on the back ; throat reddish ; abdomen and 

 crissuni white. 



Blue of a rich dark purplish shade. Tail abont 2.75. Hah. Ea.st- 

 ern Province United States, Cuba, and Bermudas . . var. si<ih'x. 



Blue of a greenish shade. Tail about 3.20. Hab. East Me.xico 

 and rtnatemala var. a z tire a.' 



2. S. mexicana. Chestnut, in greater or less amount, on the back ; 

 throat blue; abdomen and crissum blue. Hab. West and South Mid- 

 dle Province United States, south to Jalapa, Cordova, and Colima. 



B. Breast hltie (light drab in 9 )• 



3. S. arctica. Entirely rich greeni.sh-blue ; abdomen white. Hab. 

 Middle Province United States ; Fort Franklin, British America. 



Sialia sialis, B.urd. 



EASTERN BLUEBIRD. 



MotaciUa sialis, Linn. S. N. 1758, 187 (l)ased on Catesby, I, pi. xlvii). Sialia sialis, 

 Bauid, Birds N. Am. 1858, 222; Rev. 62. — Boardman, Pr. Bost. Soc. 1862, 124 

 (Calais, Me.; very rare). — Dresser, Ibis, 1865, 465 (Texas, winter). — Samuels, 

 B. N. Eng., 175. Sicdia wilsoni, Swainsiin, Zool. Jour. Ill, 1827, 173. — Cab. Jour. 

 1858, 120. — GUNDLACU, Cab. Jour. 1861, 324 ; Kepertorio, 1865, 230. — JoNES, 



' S. azurea, BAir.D, Kev. Am. Birds. 18C4, 62. (S. azurea, SwAlN.soN.) 



