BLUEBIRDS 



641 



physic," which is indeed a good rendering of the rhythm of 

 the song, while occasionally some saucy songster may be heard 

 calling "You id-i-ot, you id-i-ot, you id-i-ot." 



The food varies much according to season. In the spring 

 and early summer much of the food, in fact the greater por- 

 tion consists of insects. Angleworms of course constitute a 

 large part and we all know how the Robins flock to a stretch 

 of grassy lawn after a rain. Various other insects such as 

 beetles, grubs, grasshoppers, crickets, ants, caterpillars, moths 

 and the general run of insects to be picked up from the 

 ground and from the foliage of trees are eaten. As the season 

 advances the Robin knows where the first cherries to ripen are 

 to be found and is ever ready to take his stand in the choicest 

 tree and fill himself with the ripening fruit. They like fruit 

 of almost any kind such as strawberries, raspberries, black- 

 berries and blueberries, cultivated cherries, shadbush plums, 

 bird cherries, choke cherries, black cherries, dogwood berries, 

 arrowwood berries, choke berries and similar wild and cultivated 

 varieties of fruit with a strong leaning to cherries. In later 

 fall they gather into flocks and frequent the mountain ash 

 trees, eating the fruit as long as the supply lasts and in late 

 fall and winter this as well as rotten apples and crabapples 

 are their chief articles of food. Though much more could be 

 written regarding this very beneficial species, it seems that 

 enough has been said to show that ample pay is returned for 

 the few cherries eaten. 



Genus SI ALIA Swainson. 



766. Sialia sialis (Linn.). Bluebird. 



Plumage of adult male : upper parts, wings, sides of head and tail azure 

 blue in spring and summer, but in fall and winter the blue color is some- 

 what veiled by rusty or pale chestnut edgings ; belly white ; throat, breast 

 and sides pale chestnut. Plumage of adult female : above with a gray tinge 

 to the less brilliant blue ; throat, breast and sides paler chestnut than in 

 male ; otherwise in general similar to male. Immature plumage : slaty 

 mouse gray above, more or less spotted on the back and wing coverts with 



