68 North American birds. 



and monotonous son<^ than that of the common BlueLird, and tliat it has the 

 same M'arblin*; tone and manner. He afterwards observed the same species 

 in tlie winter, at Fort Vancouver, associating,' with tlie Western Bhiebird. 



Dr. Woodhouse found the Arctic I5hiel)ird (juite common in the vicinity 

 of Santa Fe, in New Mexico, where tliey breed about the houses in boxes put 

 up for them by tlie inhabitants for the purpose. 



Mr. Townscnd found this species in the vicinity of the Platte TJiver, near 

 the Black Hills, and also on tlie banks of the Columbia. They confined 

 themselves to tlie fences in the nei<ihborhood of settlements, occasionally 

 lighting upon the ground and scratching for minute insects. He descril)es 

 their song as a delii^htful warlde. Its notes resemble tiiose of the common 

 Bluebird, but are so different as to be easily recognized ; they are ec^ually 

 sweet and clear, but have much less power. 



Neither Dr. Gambel nor Dr. Heermann found this species in California 

 excepting during the winter, and were of the opinion that none remain there 

 to breed. 



Dr. Kennerly observed them at different points among the Tiocky Moun- 

 tains, where they frecjuented the vicinity of his camp early in the morning, 

 at some times in i)airs and at others in flocks of four or five. 



Mr. J. K. Lord states that he found this Bluebird very abundant between 

 the Cascades and the Itockv Mountains, where they arrive in June and leave 

 in September. After nesting they assembled in large flocks, and fed on the 

 open plains. 



The eggs are of a very liglit blue, i)aler than those of the other species. 

 They measure .89 of an inch in length by .GO in breadth. 



Mr. Ridgway states that he found the Bocky Mountain Bluebird nesting 

 in Virginia City in June. Its nests were built about the old buildings, 

 and occasionally in the unused excavations al>out the mines. At Austin he 

 also found it common in July, in similar localities. On the East Humboldt 

 Mountains it was very numerous, es])ecially on the more elevated portions, 

 wdiere it nested among the rocks and, though more rarely, in the deserted 

 excavations of wtKKlpeckei*s in the stunted pinon and cedar trees. He 

 describes it as generally very shy and difficult to obtain, seldom permitting 

 a very near api»roach. In its habits it is much less arboreal than either S. 

 mcxicana or X slid is, always preferring the open mountaui portions in the 

 higher ranges of the (Jreat Basin. 



In regard to its notes ^Ir. Bid<» way savs : " The common note of this 

 species would, from its character, be at once recognized as that of a Blue- 

 bird. Its autumnal note, however, lacks entirely the peculiar plaintiveness 

 so characteristic of that of our Eastern species, and is much more feeble, 

 consisting of a simple w^ak chirp. Like the S. iiicjcieana, the S. anti/ia 

 was also never heard to give utterance to anything resembling the lovely 

 spring warbling of the S. aialisy 



