SAXICOLID.E — THE SAXICOLAS. 



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Sialia mexicana, Swains. 



CALIFORNIA BLUEBIBB. 



Sialia mcricmia, Sw. F. B. Am. U, 1831, 202. — Sclate::, P. Z. S. 185r,, 293 (roraova) ; 

 1857, 120 (California); IS'A 362 (Xalapa). — In. Catal. 18(51, 11, no. 06. — lUiun, 

 Birds X. Am. 1858, 223; Kevit-A-, 03. — Cooi-ku & Sr<KLi:Y, P. K. U. XII, ii, 1851), 



173, f'ooPEU, Birds Cal. I, 28. Sialia oai'lndalui. Towns., Aud. ; Sialia atrulco- 



coil is, ViooKs. 



Figures: All). B. A. II, pi. cxxxv. — Ib. Orn, Biog. V, jd. cccxciii. — Vigou.s, Zool. 

 Beecdii^y's, Voy. 1839, pi. iii. 



Sp. Char. Bill slonder. Head and neck all round, and nppor parts generally bright 

 azure blue. Interscapular regions, sides and lore part of the breast, and sides of the 

 bellv, dark reddish-brown. Rest of under parts (with tail-coverts) pale bluish, tinged with 

 grav about the anal region. Female duller above; the back brownish; the blue of the 

 throat replaced by ashy-l»rown, with a shade of blue. Length, 0.50 ; wing, 4.2.' ; tail .!»0. 



Yoiutrj. Tail and wing as in adult; liead, neck, back, and breast, dull brown ach 

 feather, except on the cjown, streaked centrally with white. 



Hah. "Western United States, from the Rocky Mountains to Pacific. Not noticed on 

 the Missouri plains. Central British America, or at Cape St. Lucas. Found at Xalapa and 

 Cordova, Mex., Sclater. Popocatapetl (Alpine regit)n), Sumichrast. 



As in the others, the eoloi-s of this species are much duller in fall and 

 winter. No. o.3,:U0,<? (C\arson City, Xevada, Feb. 21) diflers from others in 

 the following resjiects : tliere is liardly any chestnut on the back, tliere being 

 only just a tinge along eacli side of the interscapular region ; that on the 

 breast is interrupted in the middle, and thrown into a patch on each side of 

 the breast, thus connecting the l)lue of the throat and abdomen ; the blue 

 of the tlu'oat is unusually deep. 



Habits. This Bluel)ird belongs to western Xorth America, its proper 

 domain being between the Kockv Mountains and Pacitic, from Mexico to 

 Washington Territory. ^Ir. Xuttall lirst met with this species among the 

 small rocky ]>rairies of the Colund)ia. He speaks of its habits as exactly 

 similar to those of the common Bluebird. The male is equally tuneful 

 throuLihout the breeding-season, and liis somj is also verv similar. Like the 

 common species he is very devoted to his mate, alternately feeding and 

 caressing her and entertaining her with his song. This is a little more 

 varied, tender, and sweet than tliat of the Eastern species, and diti'ers in its 

 expressions. 



Nuttall describes this as an exceedingly shy bird, so much so that he 

 found it verv difficidt to obtain a sight of it. This he attriV)Utes to the 

 great alnmdance of Ijirds of prey. Afterwards, in the vicinity of the village 

 of Santa Barbara, Mr. Xuttall again saw them in considerable numl;ers, 

 when they were t.ano and familiar. 



Dr. (Jooper states that these liluebirds seem to prefer the knot-holes of 

 tVe oaks to the boxes provided for them. He loes not confirm Mr. Xuttall's 

 dcicriptiou of its song, whicli he regardb as neither so loud nor so sweet as 



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