254 THE WESTERN BLUEBIRD. 



A more typical nest, frfshly examined, is placed at a height uf six feet in 

 the tij]) of a tiny fir sapling, which required the support of a chance armful of 

 leaning vine-maple poles. The nest proper is an immense affair, eight and a 

 half inches deep and twehe inches by eight in diameter outside, and two and 

 a half in depth and four in width inside. Jt would weigh about three pounds, 

 and is, therefore, quite compact, altho the moss, which is the largest element 

 in its com]3osition, holds a large quantity of moisture. Twigs from six inches 

 to a foot in length enter int(_i the e.xterior construction, and these are them- 

 selves moss-bearing. Stripping off the outer moss-coat, one comes to the 

 matrix or crucible-shaped vessel of rotten wood, an inch or more in thickness 

 thruout, and sodden with moisture. Within this receptacle, in turn, appears 

 another cup with walls three-quarters of an inch in thickness, and composed 

 solely of dried grasses and moss, neatly wo\'en and turned. The innermost 

 lining comprises the same materials, not very carefully smoothed, but amaz- 

 ingly dry, considering the character of their surroundings. The brim of the 

 nest is strengthened by bark-strips, the inner fiber of cedar Ijark being ex- 

 clusively employed for this purpose; while the finishing coat consists of moss, 

 compacted and flawless. There are, in fact, few nests to compare with that 

 of the Varied Thrush in strength, elaborateness, and elegance. 



No. loi. 



WESTERN BLUEBIRD. 



A. O. U. No. 767. Sialia mexicana occidentalis (Towns.). 



Synonyms. — C.\lii-orni.\ Blukbird. AIexican Bluebird. Townsend's 

 BLrEBH^n. 



Description. — .Idiilt male: Head and neck all around and upperparts rich 

 smalt l.)Iue, brighter on hindneck, rump and wings, paler on sides of neck and on 

 throat; the shafts of wing-quills and tail-feathers and the exposed tips of the 

 former black ; more or less chestnut on scapulars usvxally irregularly continuous 

 across back; sicles of breast and sides, continuous across breast, chestnut; belly, 

 flanks, crissum and under tail-coverts dull grayish blue (campanula blue to pearl 

 blue). Bill l)lack; feet blackish; iris dark brown. /;; winter touches of chestnut 

 appear on crown, hindneck and sicles of head and neck, and the blue of throat is 

 slightly veiled by grayish brown skirting. Adult female: Somewhat like male 

 but everywhere paler and duller ; blue of upperparts clear only on rump, tail, 

 lesser and middle wing-coverts and outer edges of primaries, there lighter than in 

 male (campanula blue to flax-flower blue) ; first primary and outermost rectrices 

 edged with white ; chestnut of scapulars obsolete, merged with dingy mottled 

 bluish or brownish-gray of remaining upperparts; exposed tips of remiges dusky; 

 outer web of first primary whitish; blue of undcrparts replaced by sordid bluish 

 gray, and chestnut of subdued tone (pale cinnamcm-rufous) veiled by grayish- 

 brown tills of feathers. Yoimg birds somewhat resemble the adult female hut the 



