Western Blue Grosbeak 401 



Dennis Gale's notes contain the following account 

 of the breeding habits : " The nest is low down in bushes 

 or small trees, usually in deep shade, constructed chiefly 

 of stems of wild vines, and rather shallow and slight 

 in the middle, so that eggs can be seen from below. 

 The eggs are generally four in number, and vary a good 

 deal in shape, size and markings ; the ground-colour 

 is some shade of pale green, speckled with umber or 

 reddish-brown, chiefly at the larger end. Full clutches 

 of fresh eggs are to be met with at the beginning of June, 

 but a second brood is often raised later in the season. 

 Both sexes assist in incubation, and the CoAvbird not 

 infrequently imposes on them." (Plate 15.) The eggs 

 measure 1'05 x '1. 



Genus GUIRACA. 



Finches of medivuTi size — wing 3 to 3-5, with a large conical and 

 somewhat compressed bill, the culmen rounded, not ridged ; the lower 

 mandible decidedly deeper than the upper ; nostril exposed ; wing 

 fairly long and pointed, the difference between the primaries and 

 secondaries about equal to the tarsus, the ninth primary longer than 

 the fifth ; tail of moderate length — over -8 in the wing — nearly even. 

 Sexes distinct, male blue, female brown. 



Thi'j genus includes only one species ranging over the southern 

 United States and Mexico and south in winter to Cuba and Nicaragua. 

 In Colorado only the larger western form occurs. 



Western Blue Grosbeak. Guiraca ccerulea lazula. 



A.O.U. Checklist no 597a — Colorado Records — Ridgway 73, p. 183 ; 

 Baird, Brewer & Ridgway 74, p. 516 ; Henshaw 75, p. 298 ; Drew 85, 

 p. 16 ; Beckham 85, p. 142 ; Cooke 97, pp. 109, 167, 216 ; Dille 02, p. 

 94 ; 09, p. 87 ; Felger 02, p. 294 ; Henderson 03, p. 108 ; 09, p. 238 ; 

 H. G. Smith 05, p. 82 ; 08, p. 188. 



Description. — Male — General colour a rich ultramarine blue, back 

 slightly shaded with diisky ; a narrow black edging round the base 

 of the beak ; wings and tail dusky, with blueish edgings, middle wing- 

 coverts rich chestnut, greater coverts tipped with paler chestnut ; 

 under tail-coverts and tips of the outer tail-feathers narrowly tipped 



CC 



