THE BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER. 



exhibit more or less curiosity, and if one keeps reasonably still he is almost 

 sure to be inspected from a distance not exceeding four or five feet. It is here 

 too that the males are found singing in spring. The bird often begins sotto 

 voce with two or three high squeaks, as though trying to get the pitch down to 

 the range of mortal ears before he gives his full voice. The core of the song 

 is something like "tew, tew, tew, tezv, sweet to cat, sweet-oo eat," the last 

 phrases being given with a rising inflection, and with an accent of ravishing 

 sweetness. The tones are so pure that they may readily be whistled by the hu- 

 man listener, and a musical contest provoked in which one is glad to come out 

 second best. 



I once saw a Kinglet in a royal mood. A young Ruby-crown was car- 

 olling, and quite prettily, in the lower branches of an old oak tree hard by. I 

 was watching him closely to see if I might catch a glint of red, when up darted 

 an older rival and flashed a jewel so dazzling as to fairly smite the eye. 

 The youngling felt the rebuke keenly, and retired in great confusion. It 

 seems that when the bird is angry it has the power of erecting its crest and so 

 unveiling the full glory of the ruby crown. 



No. 102. 



BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER. 



A. O. U. No. 751. Polioptila caerulea (Linn.). 



Description. — Adult Male : Ab< ve, grayish blue, brighter and bluer on head, 

 hoary on rump; front of head, on forehead and sides, narrowly bordered with 

 black ; wings fuscous, with narrow edgings of blue-gray ; tail black centrally, the 

 outer pair of feathers white, the next pair mostly white, and the two succeeding 

 pairs blackish touched with white, or not; under parts white, with a bluish or 

 plumbeous tinge, changing on sides of head; eye-lids white; bill black, hooked; 

 feet dark. Adult female ami immature: Similar but duller; without black on 

 head, and with bill lightening below. Length, 4.25-5.50 (108. -139.7) ; wing 2.02 

 (51.3) ; tail 1.92 (48.8) ; bill .38 (9.7). 



Recognition Marks. — Pygmy to Warbler size; a slim, tidy bird with a long 

 tail ; blue-gray coloring, and black and white pattern of tail unmistakable. 



Nest, a delicately modelled cup, of fine bark-strips and grasses, interwoven and 

 hound together with cob-webs, lined with plant-down, fine grasses and horse-hair, 

 and decorated externally with lichens ; saddled upon horizontal limb, or settled into 

 crotch. Eggs, 4 or 5, bluish white, speckled and spotted with reddish browns and 

 umber. Average size, .56x44 ( 14.2 x 11.2). 



