SAXlCOLIDJi — THE SAXICOLAS. 07 



Sialia arctica, Swains. 



ROCKY MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD. 



Erythraca (SiaUa) arctica. Swains. F. B. A. II, 1831, 209, pi. xxxix. Sialia arctica, 

 NuTTALL, Man. IT, 1832, 573. — Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 224 ; Rev. 64. — Sclater, 

 Catal. 1861, 11, no. 67. — Dresser, Ibis, 1865, 478. (Texas, winter, very abundant.) 

 — Cooper, Birds Cal. I, 29. Sialia macroptcra, Baird, Stansbury's Rept. 1852, 314 

 (larger race with longer wings). 



Sp. Char. Greenish azure-blue above and below, brightest above ; the belly and under 

 tail-coverts white ; the latter tinged with blue at the ends. Female showing blue only on 

 the rump, wings, and tail; a white ring round the eye; the lores and sometimes a narrow 

 front whitish ; elsewhere replaced by brown. Length, 6.25 ; wing, 4.36 ; tail, 3.00. 

 (1875.) 



Young. Male birds are streaked with white, as in S. sialis, on the characteristic ground 

 of the adult. 



IIab. Central table-lands of North America, east to mouth of Yellowstone. One 

 individual collected at Fort Franklin, Great Bear Lake. Not common on the Pacific 

 slope ; the only specimens received coming from Simiahmoo, Fort Crook, and San Dieo'o- 

 Not recorded as found in Mexico. W. Arizona, Coues. 



As already stated, the blue of this species is greener, more smalt-like 

 than in sialis. The females are distinguished from those of the other 

 species by the greener blue, entire absence of rufous, and longer wings. 



In autumn and winter the blue of the male is much soiled by amber- 

 brown edges to the feathers, this most conspicuous on the breast, where 

 the blue is sometimes almost concealed ; the plumage of the female, too, at 

 this season is different from that of spring, the anterior lower parts being- 

 soft isabella-color, much less grayish than in spring. 



Habits. This Bluebird belongs chiefly to the Central fauna, and occupies 

 a place in the Eastern only by its appearance on its borders. It was first 

 procured by Sir John Eichardson, at Fort Franklin, in July, 1825. It is 

 a1)undant throughout the central table-lands of North America, between 

 the Pacific and the moutli of the Yellowstone, from Great Bear Lake to 

 the lower portions of California. In the latter State it is not common. 



Mr. Nuttall met with this species in the early part of June, northwest of 

 Laramie Fork. The female uttered a low complaint when her nest was 

 approached. This was constructed in a hole in a clay cliff. Another was 

 found in the trunk of a decayed cedar. In one of these the young were 

 already hatched. The nest was composed of dried grasses, but in veiy insig- 

 nificant quantity. Mr. Nuttall found them much more shy than the com- 

 mon species, aud describes them as feeding in very nearly the same manner. 

 He afterwards found a nest of the same species in a cliff of the Sandy 

 l{i^'er, a branch of the Colorado. Both parents were feeding their brood. 

 The female was very uneasy at his approach, chirping, and at intervals 

 uttering a plaintive cry. He states that the male bird has a more plaintive 



