SAXICOLID.E — TJIE SAXKOLAS. 



03 



Nat. li^Tiniula, lSr»!>, 2S, 66 (ri'sitU'tit in Hcriiiutlai. Siffviu si<iJis, \,\\\\. ; JmjMfi.i 

 si t/i.H, Nrrr. ; Ki ntlirnrii iril.stnii, S\V. 

 Fi<;ur<s : ViKiM.ur, (>is. Ain. St'j>t. II. \A. <i, cii, riii. -Wii.s. I, pi. iii. Am. nm. 

 Hiojr. II, j,l. cxiii. — ht. \\. A. !1, pi. ixx.viv. - l)(Mi;iri\, < "al>. 1, pi. xii. 



Sr*. CiiAK. Eiitirc iip|»«'r parts iM<lii<lin<r wiii«,'s an*l tail. iKiitiniious jiikI uniroim aziiro- 

 MiH': rln' rln'<'ks<>f'a (liillcr tint ol' the saiiif. IJ«'ii«'ath HMMish-browii ; tlu' aluloiin'ii. anal 

 n*<;i<>n, ami nntlrr tail-coverts wliitc JJill an<l feet lijatk. Slialts of the (piills ami tail- 

 leathers l>la«k. Female with the lilne Uirhter, an-l tinj,'e«l with brown on the head and 

 l.a.'k. Lenirth. (;.7.'. : winjr. 4.(M>: tail, L'.!»(>. 



Yonutj. ^[ales of the year dull Itrown on head and hack: and le.s.ser coverts streak«'<l, 

 except on head, with white. Throat and fore part of ltre:ist streaked with white. Tcrtials 

 edp'd with hrown. Hest of coloration somewhat like adnlt. 



H.vn. Kastern I'liited States; west to Fort Laramie, Milk River: north to Lake Win- 

 mpe^'; resident in Bernuida ; Cuba (rare), Gixi>L.\<'ii. 



A Specimen from (Jimteinala (.»0,41 1 <? , \';ui l*atteiij referrilde to the 

 var. (fznrcif i.s iiii(li.stin|L,aiislial>le in ('(dor from Xortli American examples; 

 tlie winj^s and tail are lon^'er, liowever, mea.snring respectively 4.20 and 

 .'^.(10. 



Habits. The Bluebird is ahiindant throughout the eastern portion (.f 

 North America, breeding in nearly 

 every part, from Georgia and Louisi- 

 ana to the Arctic region.s, with only 

 this exception, that near the sea- 

 l)oard its migrations do not extend 

 so far to the north as in the interior. 

 It is very rartdy to be met with Ih3- 

 yond the Penobscot, althouj'h Pro- 

 fessor Verrill mentions it as very 

 conniion in the western part of Maine. 

 It is found throughout the year in the 

 Hermudas, and occasionally in Cid>{i. 

 The Selkirk Settlement is the most northern locality to which it has been 

 traced. It is not known to occur farther we.st than the highlands west of 

 the Mississijjpi. 



Through all the Eastern States the Bluel)ird is one of the most familiar 

 and welcome of the earliest visitoi-s of spring, usually making its ap]iear- 

 ance as early as the first of March. In mild seasons they come in the latter 

 ])art of February, long before there is any ai)])arent relaxation of the severity 

 of winter. In 1S.57, in conse(iuence of the unusual mildness of the season, 

 liluebirds appeared in large numbei-s as early as the loth of February, 

 and remained api)arently without suffering any inconvenience, although the 

 weather subsecpiently became (piite severe. In 18G9 their first appearance 

 was observed as early as the 28th of January, the earliest period of which 

 I can find any record. 



In the Middle States, with every mild winter's day, the Bluel)irds come 



Sia/ia sialis. 



