SYLVIUS THE WAKELESS. 78 



Polioptila caerulea (Linn.) 



BLUE-GEAY GNATCATCHER. 



Popular synonyms. Blue Wren; Long-tailed Blue Wren; Eastern Gnatcatcher. 

 Motacilla casrulea LINN. 8. N. ed. 12, 1. 1766, 337. 

 Sylvania ccerulea NUTT. Man. 2d ed. i. 1840, 337. 

 Culicivora ccerulea AUD. B. Am, 1, 1840, 24 1. pi. 70. 



Polioptila ccerulea SCL. P. Z. S. 1855, 11. BAIBD, B. N. Am. 1858, 380; Cat. N. Am. B. 

 1859. No. 282; Review. 1864, 74,-CouEs, Key, 1872; Check List, 1873. No. 23; 2d ed. 

 1882. No. 36; B. N. W. 1874, 17; B. Col. Val. 1878, 101.-B. B. & B. Hist. N. A. B. i. 1874, 

 78, pi. 6, fig. 5. RIDGW. Norn. N. Am. B.. 1881, No. 27. 



HAS. United States, chiefly south of 40; wintering In extreme southern States, Cuba, 

 Mexico, and Guatemala. 



"Sp. CHAB. Above grayish blue, gradually becoming bright blue on the crown. A 

 narrow frontal band of black extending backwards over the eye. Under parts and lores 

 bluish white tinged with lead-color on the sides. First and second tail feathers white 

 except at the extreme base, which is black, the color extending obliquely forward on 

 the inner web; third and fourth black, with white tip, very slight on the latter; fifth and 

 sixth entirely black. Upper tail-coverts blackish plumbeous. Quills edged externally 

 with pale bluish gray, which is much broader and nearly white on the tertials. Female 

 without any black on the head. Length, 4.30; wing, 2.15; tail. 2.25. (Skin.)" (Hist. N. 

 Am. S.) 



This active little bird inhabits chiefly open high woods, often along 

 streams, where he may be seen skipping and darting about among 

 the topmost branches, his long tail elevated and jerking in wren- 

 like fashion, always moving about and ever uttering his wheezy, 

 squeaky notes. During the breeding season the male has a very 

 varied song of considerable power but lacking in sweetness, and 

 uttered in an erratic manner, portions of it suggesting a weak 

 imitation of the Catbird's medley. 



The nest of this species is one of the gems of bird architecture. 

 It is a very compact mass of soft felted materials, elaborately and 

 artistically ornamented on the outside with gray and glaucous 

 lichens, the deep interior cavity cosily lined with softest down and 

 feathers. The shape varies from that of a deep cup to that of an 

 inverted cone, the opening being always at the top. This elegant 

 structure is securely fastened either saddled to or woven about a 

 horizontal liinb, usually near the top of a tree, but, especially if 

 the tree be a very tall one, sometimes on one of the lower branches. 

 Often it is attached to a limb of nearly the same diameter as 

 itself, thus appearing as a knot or other excrescence. 



