THE BLUEBIRD. 247 



there are at least three species of the com- 

 mon bluebird, while in all our woods there 

 are the blue- jay and the indigo-bird, the 

 latter so intensely blue as to fully justify 

 its name. There is also the blue grossbeak, 

 not much behind the indigo-bird in intensity 

 of color ; and among our warblers the blue 

 tint is very common. 



It is interesting to know that the blue- 

 bird is not confined to any one section of the 

 country ; and that when one goes West he 

 will still have this favorite with him, though 

 a little changed in voice and color, just 

 enough to give variety without marring the 

 identity. 



The Western bluebird is considered a dis- 

 tinct species, and is perhaps a little more 

 brilliant and showy than its Eastern brother ; 

 and Nuttall thinks its song is more varied, 

 sweet, and tender. Its color approaches to 

 ultramarine, while it has a sash of chestnut- 

 red across its shoulders, all the effects, I 

 suspect, of that wonderful air and sky of Cal- 

 ifornia, and of those great Western plains ; 

 or if one goes a little higher up into the 

 mountainous regions of the West, he finds 

 the Arctic bluebird, the ruddy brown on the 

 breast changed to greenish-blue, and the 



