•^8 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



The species described as C yanospiza parellina in the Birds of Nortli 

 America, Ijiit which so far has not been actually detected north of Mexico, 

 is a miniature Giiiraca, more related, however, to the G. concreta tlian to 

 ccemdea. It is easily distinguished from the latter by more lobed bill, 

 darker back and under parts, absence of rufous wing-bands, and inferior 

 size. Length, 5 inches ; wing, 2.5U. 



Males from the Pacific coast region (California, Colima, etc.) have tails 

 considerably longer than eastern specimens, while those from California are 

 of a much lighter and less purplish blue, the difference being much the same 

 as between Sialict sialis and S. azurea. 



Autumnal and winter males have the feathers generally, especially on the 

 back and breast, tipped with light brown, obscuring somewhat the blue, 

 though producing a beautiful appearance. 



Habits. The Blue Grosbeak, though more a bird of the Southern States, 

 is also one both of an extended and of an irregular distribution. It was 

 even met with one year in the vicinity of Calais, Me., although none have 

 been known to occur in any part of the country between that point and New 

 York City. It is found from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast. 



Tlie extent to which it is distributed throughout California is inferred, 

 rather than known. Dr. Cooper noticed one at Fort Mohave, May 6, and 

 afterwards saw many more frequenting the trees and bushes along the river, 

 and singing a lively song, which he compares with that of the Carpodacus 

 frontalis. He also saw them at Los Angeles and at Santa Barbara, and 

 states that they were found at Pit River, in the extreme northeastern part 

 of the State, by Dr. Newberry. They were observed to frequent the banks 

 of streams crossing the great interior plains and deserts, where there was 

 little vegetation except a few bushes. 



The Blue Grosbeak was only met with by Mr. Ridgway and his party at 

 Sacramento. It does not occur — or, if so, it was not seen — in the interior so 

 far to the north as the route of Mr. King's survey. At Sacramento it was 

 found frequenting the same localities as the Gyanospiza amosna, and appeared 

 to be characteristic of the cottonwood copses. Their nests were found be- 

 tween the 18th and the 29th of June, and were all in similar situations. 

 These were built in small cottonwood-trees, on the edge of the copse, and 

 were all about six feet from the ground. 



Mr. John Burroughs, in one of liis charming popular essays ^ on the general 

 habits of our birds, refers to their occasional preference, in sites for their 

 nests, of the borders of frequented roadsides, and mentions finding a nest of 

 the Blue Grosbeak among the trees that line one of the main streets and 

 fashionable drives leading out of Washington City, less than half a mile 

 from the boundary. There, he states, this bird, which, according to Audu- 

 bon's observations, is shy and recluse, affecting remote marshes and the bor- 

 ders of large ponds of stagnant water, had placed its nest in the lowest twig 



1 Atlantic Monthly, XXIII, p. 707. 



