SAXICOLID^ — THE SAXICOLAS. 65 



Sialia mexicana, Swains. 



CALIFORNIA BLUEBIRD. 



Sialia mexicrma, S\v. F. B. Am. II, 1831, 202. — Sclatek, P. Z. S. 1856, 293 (Cordova); 

 1857, 126 (California); 1859, 362 (Xalapa). — Ib. Catal. 1861, 11, no. 66. — Baird, 

 Birds N. Am. 1858, 223 ; Keview, 63. — Cooper & Suckley, P. K. R. XII, ii, 1859, 

 173. — Cooper, Birds Cal. I, 28. Sialia occidentalis. Towns., Aud. ; Sialia cceruleo- 

 collis, Vigors. 



Figures: Aud. B. A. II, pi. cxxxv. — Ib. Orn. Biog. V, pi. ccexciii. — Vigors, Zool. 

 Beechey's, Voy. 1839, pi. iii. 



Sp. Char. Bill slender. Head and neck all round, and upper parts generally bright 

 azure blue. Interscapular regions, sides and fore part of the breast, and sides of the 

 belly, dark reddish-brown. Rest of under parts (with tail-coverts) pale bluish, tinged with 

 gray about the anal region. Female duller above ; the back brownish ; the blue of the 

 throat replaced by ashy-ljrown, with a shade of blue. Length, 6.50 ; wing, 4.25 ; tail, 2.90. 



Young. Tail and wing as in adult; head, neck, back, and breast, dull brown; each 

 feather, except on the crown, streaked centrally with white. 



Hab. Western United States, from the Rocky Mountains to Pacific. Not noticed on 

 the Missouri plains, Central British America, or at Cape St. Lucas. Found at Xalapa and 

 Cordova, Mex., Sclatek. Popocatapetl (Alpine region), Sumichrast. 



As in tlie others, the colors of this species are much duller in fall and 

 winter. No. 53,319, c? (Carson City, Nevada, Feb. 21) differs from others in 

 tlie following respects : there is hardly any chestnut on the back, there being 

 only just a tinge along each side of the interscapular region ; that on the 

 lireast is interru])ted in the middle, and thrown into a patch on each side of 

 the breast, thus connecting the blue of the throat and abdomen ; the blue 

 of the tlu'oat is unusually deep. 



Habits. This Bluebird belongs to western North America, its projjer 

 domain being between the Eocky Mountains and Pacific, from Mexico to 

 AVashington Territory. Mr. Nuttall first met with this species among the 

 small rocky prairies of the Columbia. He speaks of its habits as exactly 

 similar to those of the common Bluebird. The male is equally tuneful 

 tliroughout the breeding-season, and his song is also very similar. Like the 

 common species he is very devoted to his mate, alternately feeding and 

 caressing her and entertaining her with his song. This is a little more 

 varied, tender, and sweet than tliat of the Eastern si)ecies, and differs in its 

 expressions. 



Nuttall describes this as an exceedingly shy bird, so much so that he 

 lound it very difficult to obtain a sight of it. This he attributes to the 

 great abundance of birds 6f prey. Afterwards, in the vicinity of the village 

 of Santa Barbara, Mr. Nuttall again saw them in considerable numbers, 

 when they were tame and familiar. 



Dr. Cooper states that these Bluebirds seem to prefer the knot-holes of 

 the oaks to the boxes provided for them. He does not confirm Mr. Nuttall's 

 description of its song, whicli he regards as neither so loud nor so sweet as 

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