Birds of Indiana. 1161 



Small fruits and cherries that ripen early are almost the only fruits 

 that are eaten to any amount. Early cherries are about the only fruit 

 that is ripe at that time when the Eobin wants a change of diet. Bj 

 July and through the remainder of the season there is an abundance 

 of wild kinds that are more to its taste. The investigations show that 

 the Eobin takes ten times as much wild as cultivated fruit. The wild 

 plants upon which it feeds are not those gathered by man or adopted 

 by him for cultivation. It is wise either to plant a few extra plants 

 or trees for the birds or to plant a few of some such trees as the Eus- 

 sian mulberr}% the fruit of which they seem to prefer to kinds that 

 man values more highly. (On this subject see Farmers' Bulletin, No. 

 34, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, pp. 37, 38; Journal Columbus (0.) 

 Hort. Soc, Vol. VI., September, 1891, pp. 75, 80; and Bull. 111. 

 State Lab. Fat. Hist., No. 3, pp. 89, 107.) 



There come years when the severe weather kills some of the Eobins. 

 Perhaps this has not been observed to have occurred to so great an 

 extent as it did the latter part of the winter and early spring of 1895. 

 The sudden storms and severe weather of February, March and April 

 south of us covered much of the territory where they winter just as 

 they were beginning to move northward, that they were undoubtedly 

 destroyed in countless numbers. In some localities they seem to have 

 been almost exterminated. The effects of this were noted throughout 

 Indiana, Illinois and Michigan. In the northern part of the first two 

 States, particularly in the vicinity of Chicago, they were very scarce. 

 (See Proc. Ind. Acad. Science, 1895, pp. 165. 166.) 



178. Gknus SIALIA Swainson. 



*321. (766). 'SiaUa sialis (Linn.). 



Bluebird. 



Adult Male. — Above, bright blue; below, throat and breast cinna- 

 mon, other under parts white. Adult Female. — Above, grayish; wings,, 

 tail and rump blue; below, paler. Immature. — Similar to female; 

 upper parts and breast marked with white. 



Length, 5.70-7.00; wing, 3.90-4.15; tail, 2.60-2.90. 



Eange. — Eastern North America from Cuba, and Bermudas to 

 Nova Scotia, Ontario and Manitoba, west to Eocky Mountains. Breeds 

 throughout its range. Winters from northern Indiana and southern 

 New York southward. Eesident in Bermudas. 



Nest, in hole in tree, post, stump or in a box; of grass. FJggs. 4-6; 

 pale blue, unmarked. 



