530 Birds of Colorado 



in winter will bring up a wave of migrants even in December or January, 

 but as a rule they are driven back by storms to the south again. Lowe 

 (01) believed that they wintered iu the State near Pueblo, and Gary 

 found it common at Springfield and Gaume's Ranch in late November, 

 and was told that it wintered there. It has been noticed breeding 

 on the slopes of Mount Lincoln at timber line, at about 13,000 feet, 

 by Allen, at various elevations from 8,000 to 10,000 feet near Gold 

 Hill, in Boulder co. (Gale), and in the suburbs of Denver (Dille & 

 Minot) and Colorado Springs ; while on the western slope, in Mesa co., 

 it is stated by Rockwell to be a common sunamer resident, breeding 

 from 5,000 to 7,000 feet in the cedars. At Fort Lewis, in the extreme 

 south-west, it was found by Gibnan to be very abundant, nesting in 

 boxes and about houses of that place. In most parts of Colorado 

 it departs for the south in flocks at the end of November, or even the 

 beginning of December. 



Habits. — The Mountain-Bluebird comes north in flocks 

 of considerable size, so that it can be easily recognized 

 when migrating. It is found chiefl3'- in open country, 

 and likes to perch on rail fences alongside fields and 

 pastures. It feeds on insects and wild berries in the 

 season. Its note is rather mournful and plaintive, more 

 so than that of the eastern bird. 



It builds its nest naturally in old Woodpeckers' holes 

 or the stubs of dead trees, sometimes, according to Gale, 

 excavating a cavity for itself. The height of the nest- 

 hole varies from about four to twenty feet, but is usually 

 about twelve. The nest is constructed of dried grass, 

 and is a bulky affair ; it is sometimes lined with 

 a few feathers, but is more often without a special 

 lining. 



The eggs, usually six in number, are pale greenish- 

 blue, and measure about "85 x '65. Demiis Gale found 

 fresh eggs chiefly between May 25th and June 25th, 

 but on one occasion he took a nest with five fresh eggs 

 on April 28th, while a pair observed by Dille (94) had 

 laid a full complement of seven in a nesting-box by May 

 6th in Denver. 



