496 LAND BIRDS 



597 a. WESTERN BLUE GROSBEAK. — GmVaca 



ccerulea lazula. 



Family : The Finches^ Sparrows, etc. 



Length: 7.00-8.00. 



Adult Male: Plumage plain bright blue, witb two brownish wing- 

 bands; under tail-coverts with white borders. 



Adult Female: Plumage grayish brown, tinged with blue. 



Young : Similar to adult female. 



Geographical Distribution: Western United States, north to Colorado, 

 California, etc. ; south throughout Mexico. 



California Breeding Range : In lower and possibly upper Sonoran zone, 

 recorded from Owens valley, through the San Joaquin-Sacramento 

 basin, to Marysville. 



Breeding Season: May 15 to July 15. 



Nest : A deep, cup-shaped structure ; compactly built of dried grasses, 

 plant fibre, etc. ; placed in bushes and tall weeds. 



Eggs: 3 or 4 ; plain pale greenish blue or bluish white. Size 0.87 

 X 0.63. 



The Western Blue Grosbeak is a more difficult bird 

 to observe than either the bkick-headed or the rose- 

 breasted Grosbeak. He loves the thickets and brush of 

 the valleys, seldom going higher than the foot-hills. 

 The male, in plain winter garb, has been mistaken for 

 a female cowbird by amateurs, but one glance at the bill 

 should correct such a mistake. In the glory of his sum- 

 mer blue he is instantly recognized. His song is some- 

 what misleading, for although the same sweetly whistled 

 turns so characteristic of the Grosbeak song abound in 

 it, the tone quality is thinner and less mellow than that 

 of the black-headed. Nor does he sing so continuously 

 as the latter ; perhaps because the days are shorter in 

 the canons, where he loves to stay, and he must put in 

 more time eating. 



