BLUE GROSBEAK 491 



being an acceptable location. After the broods are reared the birds range 

 more widely and often invade much drier situations. They do not linger 

 long in the region, and after the middle of July, few if any are to be 

 seen. The fall molt is deferred until after the birds leave our latitude 

 for their far southern winter home. 



At Snelling, on May 26, 1915, 6 blue grosbeaks were seen during a 

 three-hour trip through the bottom lands of the Merced River. At that 

 season wild blackberries were bearing abundantly and these grosbeaks in 

 company with other species had been feasting on the berries. 



Lazuli Bunting. Passerina amoena (Say) 



Field characters. — Decidedly smaller than Junco; tail shorter than body. Sexes 

 different. Male: Head, throat, back, and rump, clear light blue; breast crossed by a 

 bright tawny band; under parts otherwise white; tail and wings blackish brown with 

 a white bar (sometimes a narrower one also) across each wing. Female and young: 

 Dull dark brown above, buffy and white on under surface, without contrasted markings 

 of any sort. Voice: Song of male a rather long, high-pitched hurried utterance, of set 

 character; both sexes give a rather weak call note, isip. 



Occurrence.- — Common summer visitant at lower altitudes on both sides of Sierra 

 Nevada; most abundant in Upper Sonoran Zone on west slope. Eecorded from Snelling 

 east to floor of Yosemite Valley, and to 6 miles east of Coulterville; also at Mono Lake 

 Post Office. In migration, noted east of Sierran crest at Grant Lake, Walker Lake, and 

 near "Warren Fork of Leevining Creek. Lives in low growths along ravine bottoms and 

 near streams. Seen in pairs or singly, the male more often than the female. 



The Lazuli Bunting is a common summer species in the low growths 

 which line the water courses at the lower altitudes on the west side of 

 the Sierra Nevada It is found in some numbers at Snelling and on the 

 floor of Yosemite Valley, and is abundant in the foothills of the Upper 

 Sonoran Zone. East of the mountains small numbers occur in the vicinity 

 of Mono Lake. 



The male Lazuli Bunting wears a plumage the striking feature of which 

 is the lapis lazuli or sky blue of his head, throat, back, and rump. The 

 female and young are merely dull brown and white, and hence are quite 

 inconspicuous amid the sort of surroundings which the species affects. 

 The Lazuli Bunting is, in structure, obviously a sparrow, but in coloration 

 the male reminds one of the bluebirds. The latter, however, are of larger 

 size, with slender bill, and have no white bar on the wing. They are, too, 

 very different in voice and mannerisms. The male blue grosbeak is a larger 

 bird and of much darker tone of blue than the bunting. It has no 

 buff band across the breast or white on the belly. The female bunting 

 and grosbeak are to be distinguished by the larger size and heavier bill 

 in the latter. 



