TURDID^E — THE THRUSHES — SIALIA. 29 



aLly ofteu raise two broods iu a season, the first being hatclied very early in 

 April. 



The song lias a peculiar character, sounding as if two difiurent birds were 

 singing together, but it is not loud nor much varied. 



Their food consist.s of insects and berries, and they feed much on grass- 

 hoppers, hovering o\'er tlie field like the sparrow-hawk, watching for them, 

 and dropping suddenly down on them when seen. In winter they asso- 

 ciate in small scattered flocks, flying with a short call-note, and resorting to 

 the iladrona-tree, and others, for berries. 



At Santa Cruz this bird is even more confiding than the Eastern species, 

 which rarely frequents such large towns. In tlie spring, from February 2U 

 to iVpril, many pairs could be seen daily, seeking places for their nests, 

 even in the noisiest streets, inspecting closely every new building that was 

 being erected, as if they supposed it to be for their especial benefit. Some 

 few pairs found nesting-places under porches, in knot-holes, etc., though the 

 inhabitants provided them with no special homes. 



One brood came every day during the grape season, and always about 

 noon, to pick up grape-skins thrown out by my door, and were delightfully 

 tame, sitting fearlessly within a few feet of the open window. Their favorite 

 perches during the day were the flag-staffs, weathercocks, and eaves of houses, 

 where they watched for passing insects. 



Sialia Arctica, Sw.vinson'. 



THE EOCKY MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD. 



Erythraca (Sialia) Arctica, S«'Aixsox, F. Bor. Amcr. II. 1831, 209 ; pi. xxxix. — Sialia Arc- 

 tica, NuTTALL, Man. II. 1832, 573 ; I. 2d eil. 1840, 514.— AuD., Birds Amer. II. 1841, 178 ; 

 pi. 136.— McCall, Pr. A. N. Sc. V. June, 1851, 215. — Baird, P. K. Rep. IX. Birds, 

 224. Ib. P K. Kep. X. iii. 13; pi. 35. — Kennerly, X. iv. 24. — HiiKR.iiAXN, X. vi. 

 44. — Si/lcia Arctica, AvDVIioy, Oni. Biug. V. 1839,38; pi. 373. — Sialia macroplera, 

 Baird, .Staiisbury, Ruport E.xp. Salt Laku, 1852, 314. 



Sp. Cn.AR. Aziiru blue above ami below, brightest above ; the belly and undertail coverts 

 white ; the latter tinged with blue at the ends. Female showing blue only on the rump, 

 wings, and tail ; a white ring round the eye ; tlie lores and sometimes a narrow fi'ont wliit- 

 ish ; elsewhere replaced by brown. Young like that of .S'. Mcxicaiia, but paler. Length, 

 7.25 ; extent, 14 ; wing, 4.3G to .5 ; tail, 3.00. Iris brown, bill and feet black. 



Ilab. From eastern base of Rocky ]\Iountains to Sierra Nevada. North to lat. (i4° 30', 

 and south to ile.xico. In winter, along the Pacific coast. 



This bird lias been found in winter at Fort Yuma, though I saw none at 

 that season east of the sink of the Mojave Eiver. 



At San Diego, however, in the severe winter of 1861 - 02, they came down 



