SAXICOLlIi-K — TlIK SAXICOLAS. 65 



Sialia mexicana, Swains. 



CALIFORNIA BLUEBIRD. 



Sialia mcximna, Sw. F. B. Am. II, 1831, 202. — Sclatek, P. Z. S. 1856, 293 (Cordova); 

 1857, 126 (California); 1859, 362 (Xalapa). — Ib. Catal. 1861, 11, no. 66. — Hauip, 

 Birds N. Am. 1858, 223 ; Review, 63. — Cooper & Suckley, P. R. R. XII, ii, IS.'j'.t, 

 173. — Cooper, Birds Cal. I, 2S. Sialia occiittnlalis. Towns., Aud. ; Sialia carideo- 

 collis, Vigors. 



Figures: AuD. B. A. II, pi. exx.w. — Ib. Orn. Biog. V, j)!. ccc^cciii. — Vigors, ZooI. 

 Beechey's, Voy. 1S39, pi. iii. 



Sp. Char. Bill slender. Head and neck all round, and upper parts generally briijht 

 azure blue. Interscapular regions, sides and fore part of the breast, and sides of the 

 belly, dark reddish-brown. Rest of under parts (with tail-coverts) pale bluish, tinged with 

 gray about the anal region. Female duller above ; the back brownish ; the blue of the 

 throat replaced by ashy-brown, witli a shade of blue. Length, 6.50 ; wing, 4.25 ; tail, 2.90. 



Young. Tail and wing as in adult; head, neok, back, and breast, dull Ijrown; each 

 feather, except on the crown, streaked centrally with white. 



Had. Western United States, fi-om the Rocky Mountains to Pacific. Not noticed on 

 the Missouri plains, Central British America, or at Cape St. Lucas. Found at Xalapa and 

 Cordova, Mex., Sclater. Popocatapetl (Alpine region), Susiichrast. 



As in tlie others, the colors of this species are much duller in fall and 

 winter. No. 53,319, <? (Carson City, Nevada, Feb. 21) differs from others in 

 the following respects : tlieic is liardly any cliestnut on the back, there being 

 only just a tinge along eacli side of tlie inter,scapular region ; that on the 

 breast is interrupted in the middle, and thrown into a patch on each side of 

 the breast, thus connecting the lilue of the throat and abdomen ; the blue 

 of the tliroat is unusually deep. 



Habits. This Bluebird belongs to western North America, its proper 

 domain being between the Eocky JMountains and Pacific, from IMexico to 

 Washington Territory. jMr. Nut tall first met with this species among the 

 small rocky jirairies of the Columbia. He speaks of its habits as exactly 

 similar to those of the common Bluebird. The male is equally tuneful 

 throughout the breeding-season, and his song is also very similar. Like the 

 common species he is very devoted to his mate, alternately feeding and 

 caressing her and entertaining her with his song. This is a little more 

 varied, tender, and sweet than that of the Eastern species, and differs in its 

 expressions. 



NuttaU describes this as an exceedingly shy liird, so much so tliat he 

 found it very difficult to obtain a siglit of it. This he attributes to tlie 

 great abundance of birds of ])rey. Afterwards, in the vicinity of the village 

 of Santa Barliara, Mr. Nuttall again saw them in considerable numbers, 

 ^\]ien tliey were tame aud familiar. 



Dr. Cooper states that these Bluebirds seem to prefer the knot-holes <if 

 the oaks to the boxes provided for them. He does not confirm ^Ir. Xuttall's 

 description of its song, wliioli he regards as neither so loud nor so sweet as 

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