SAXICOLIDiE SIALIA SIALIS 77 



the base, compressed beyond the nostrils, notched near the tip, 

 the culmeii at first straight, then gently convex at the end, g'onys 

 slightly convex and ascending, commissure slightly curved 

 throughout. Nostrils overhung and nearly concealed by the 

 projecting bristly feathers of the forehead. Lores aud chin 

 likewise bristly. Gape ample, the rictus cleft to below the eyes, 

 furnished with a moderately developed set of bristles reaching 

 about opposite the nostrils. Feet short, though rather stout, 

 adapted exclusively for perching (iu Saxicola, and other typical 

 genera, the structure of the feet indicates terrestrial habits). 

 Tarsi not longer than the middle toe. Lateral toes of unequal 

 lengths. Claws all strongly curved. 



Blue is the principal color of this beautiful genus, which con- 

 tains three species, all of them occurring in the Colorado region. 

 They are strictly arboricole, frequent the skirts of woods, cop- 

 pices, waysides, and weedy fields ; nest differently from the 

 Thrushes, in holes, and lay whole-colored eggs ; readily become 

 semi-domesticated, like the Swallows, House Wren, aud House 

 Sparrow; feed upon insects and berries ; and have a melodious 

 warbling song. They are peculiar to America, and appear to 

 have no exact representatives in the other hemisphere. 



Tl ilsoi&'s fiSluelbird 



Slalla stalls 



MotaciUa Sialis, Linn. SN. i. 1758, 187, no. 25 (ex CateB. et Eiiw.).—Linn. SN. i. 1766, 336, 

 no. 38.— Tiirt. SN. i. 1806, 610.— Less. Tr. Orn. 1831, 416. 



MotaciUa sealis, Gm. SN.i. 1788, 989, no. -JS. 



FicedUla saliS, Schaefer, Mus. Orn. 1789, 36, no. 122. 



Sylvia sialis, Lath. 10. ii. 1790, 522, no 44.— K. OAS. ii. 1807, 40, pis. 101, 102, im—Wils. AO. 

 i. 1808, 56. pi. 3, f.—.—Licht. " Preia-Verz. Mex. Viig. 1830, 2"; J. f. O. 1863,57.— 

 Gerhardt, Naum. iii. 1853, 38. — Gosse, Alabama, 1859, 189. — Freyhtrg, Zool. Gart. xi. 

 1870, 191 (in captivity). 



SaxlCOla sialis, By. Ann. Lye N. Y. ii. 1826, 89. 



.\mpt.-lis sialis, NuU. Man. i. 1832, 444, fig. 



Slalla sialis, HaUeman, " Trego'H Geog. of Penna. 1843, 11".— Bd. BNA. 1858, 222.- Barn. 

 Smithson. Rep. for 1860, 1861, 435.— GiUii. J. f. O. 1861, 324 (Cuba).— Coi/es ^ Prcwt. 

 Smiths. Rep. for 1861, 1862, Wo.—Hayd. Tr. Am. Philos.Soc. xii. 1862, 159 (Upper Mifisouri 

 River).— Fcrr. Pr. Essex Inst. iii. 1862, Hb.— Tayl. Ibis, iv. 1862, 128.— Gitnrf. J. f. O. 

 1862, 177 (Cuba).— Bortrrfm. Pr. Bost. Soc. ix. 1862, I'ii.— Allen, Pr. Essex Inst. iv. 1864, 

 3i.—Bd. Rev. AB. 1864, 62.— Dress. Ibis, i*. 1865, 475 (Texas).— il/c/Zai. Pr. Essex Inst. 

 V. 1866, 84 (Canada West).— Lajcr. Ann. Lye. N. Y. viii. 1866, 282.— 5«<cA. Pr. Phila. 

 Acad. XX. 1868, 149 (Texas).- Comcs, Am. Nat. ii. 1868, \Q\. — Ooues, Pr. Essex Inst. v. 

 1868, 268.— Coues, Pr. Bost. Soc. xii. 1868, 107.— ffaldeman. Am. Nat. iii. 1869, 159 (claims 

 t'le name).— Coop. Am. Nat. iii. 1869, 32 (.Montana).- ^ajman. Am. Nat. iii. 1869, 390.— 

 Turn/). B. E. Pa. 1869, 22; Phila. ed. \^—Tnppe, Pr. Ess. Inst. vi. 1871, 115 (Minnesota).- 

 Allen, Bull. MCZ. ii. 1871, 260 ; iii. 1872, 174 (Kaame). —Holden, Pr. Bost. Soc. xv. 1872, 



