LAND BIRDS. 727 



to the trees and vines from which the fruit is taken; and, finally, that the 

 killing of any number of Robins in fruit growing regions will not materially 

 lessen their numbers or protect the fruits from destruction unless the kilHng 

 is persisted in season after season and is participated in by a great majority 

 of the fruit growers. Complete immunity from the attacks of fruit eating 

 birds can be secured ))y the use of the net to cover trees and vines. This 

 method is expensive, and in many cases the expense would not be war- 

 ranted, yet the experiment has been tried profitably in some places and 

 further experiment in this direction is very desirable. 



TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 



Male in summer: Mainly slate-colored above and brownish-red (cinnamon-rufous) 

 below; top and sides of head black; throat white, with narrow Ijlack streaks; a white spot 

 over the eye; wiii,<;-fca11icis (hirk slate, almost black, and tail-feathers quite black, except 

 the outer feather mi each side, wliicli has a small white patch near the tip. The female is 

 so similar as t.> l)c s(]):ir;itf<l with difficulty; ordinarily the head is not quite so black and 

 the liack is rather sprayer. The bill in both sexes is yellow, with black tip; iris dark brown. 

 In fall and winter alftlie colors are duller and most of the feathers above and below have 

 ashy margins. The young are spotted with black on back and breast, most thickly and 

 heavily below. 



Length 10 inches or a little less, wing about 5.25, tail 4.25 to 4.50. The sexes are of 

 the same size. 



325. Bluebird. Sialia sialis sialis (Linn.). (766) 



Synonyms: Common Bluebinl, Eastern Bluebird, Blue Robin, Blue Red-breast, 

 American Bluebird. — Motacilla sialis, Linn., 1758. — Sylvia sialis, Vieill., 1807, Wils., 

 1808, Aud., 1834.— Saxicola sialis, Bonaparte, 1826.— Ampelis sialis, Nutt., 1832.— 

 Sialia wilsonii, Swains, 1839. — Sialia wilsoni, Bonap., 1838. — Sialia sialis, Haldeman, 

 1843, and most subsequent authors. 



Known at a glance by the bright blue of the upper parts, including the 

 wings and tail, and the deep cinnamon-brown breast and sides, only the 

 belly and under tail-coverts being white. 



Distribution. — Eastern United States to the eastern base of the Rocky 

 Mountains, north to Manitoba, Ontario and Nova Scotia, south, in winter, 

 from the Middle States to the Gulf States and Cuba. 



The Bluebird is universally distributed throughout Michigan as a summer 

 resident, and indeed is common during the larger part of the year, since 

 it arrives and departs at about the same time as the Robin, that is, arriving 

 in March and leaving in November, while a few remain in the southern 

 parts of the state during mild winters. Twenty-five years ago this ])ird 

 was one of the most familiar dooryard birds of the state, nesting in hollow 

 stumps, deserted woodpeckers' holes, or bird-boxes provided for its use, 

 and frequenting almost every orchard and grove in the settled districts, 

 often nesting in the shade trees of city streets and parks. With the advance 

 and abnormal increase of the English Sparrow the Bluebird was driven 

 from its nesting places and compelled to take refuge at a distance from the 

 settlements, where, although compelled to contend with numerous other 

 enemies, it was at least fi-ee from the harrassing attacks of the introduced 

 ^]nglish Sparrow. Fortunately the waste lands which had l)een abandoned 

 by their owners after the timber was cut off fuinishcd amj^le accommoda- 

 tions for the nesting of Bluebirds, and throughout these desolate tracts 

 in the northern ])ait of the state the Bluebird has become one of the 

 prominent and enlivening features. 



