234 SINGIXO BIRDS— OSCINES. 



celebrated lazuli Viluc stone of Italy being known to few except foreij;n 

 travellers. 



During tlie summer there is scarcely a thicket or gro\'e in tlie niore open 

 portions of the State, uninhabited by one or more pairs of tliis beautiful 

 species. Tire male is not very timid, and frequently sings liis lively notes 

 from the top of some bush or tree, continuing musical throughout summer, 

 and in all weathers. The song is unvaried, and rather monotonous, closely 

 resembling that of the Eastern C. cijnnca. 



Their nest is built in a busli not more tlian three or four feet aViove the 

 ground, formed of fibrous roots, strips of bark and grass, with a lining of 

 plant-dowu or hairs, and securely bound to the surrounding Ijranches. The 

 eggs are four or five, white, faintly tinged with blue. At Santa Barbara I 

 found them freshly laid on May 6th. 



These birds are never very gregarious, though the males arrive in the 

 spring in considerable flocks, travelling at night, and several days before the 

 females. Tlie latter are at all times very shy, and so plain in plumage that 

 they are very dillicult to obtain, unless on the nest. 



They arri\-ed at Santa Cruz in 1866, about April 12th, ten days earlier 

 than observed at San Diego in 1862. A nest found May 7th, in a low bush 

 close to the public I'oad, and aljout three feet from the ground, M'as built 

 very strongly, supported by a triple fork of the branch, composed of grass 

 blades firmly interwoven, the inside lined with much horsehair and cobwebs. 

 The outside measured three inches in heiglit, three and three fourths in 

 width ; inside it was two wide, one and three fourths deep. The three eggs, 

 partly hatched, were j)ale bluish-white, and measured 0.75 X 0.56 inch. 



Cyanospiza versicolor, Ijonaparte. 



THE WESTERN NONPAREIL. 



Spi^ versicolor, Bon-.^tarte, Pr. Z. S. IS."!", 120. — Cab.\n'is, Mus. Hcin. 1851, 14S. — Cij- 

 anoapiza i-rrsicolor, Baiiii>, Birds N. Amcr. 50.3. 



Sr. CiL-iR. ]\fa!c. Postuvior half of hood, with throat, (hirk brownisli-ri'il ; iiitcr- 

 scapiihrr rej;ion .similar, but ihxrker. Fore part of hooil, lesser wing t-ovt'rts, l)ac'k of nock, 

 and rnnip, purplish-ljhie ; the latter ]iurost blue ; the belly reddish-purple, in places tinged 

 with lihie, more obscure posteriorly. Feathers of wing and tail dark brown, edged with 

 dull bluish. Loral region and narrow frontal line, black. Length, 5 50 ; wing, 2.75 ; tail, 

 2.38. 



Fcmcde. Similar to that of C. amoena, but distinguished by the ab.scnce of the two 

 white bands on wings, and by the legs being black instead of dark bro^^•n. Tlie bill is 

 ap])arently more curved, and the legs stouter. 



Ilah. Northern Mexico, Sonera, and probably Southern Arizona. Cape St. Lucas. 



