224 THE BLUE-BIRD. 



retreat. Some supposing it to be in close sheltered thick- 

 ets, lying to the sun ; others the neighborhood of the sea, 

 where the air is supposed to be more temperate, and 

 where the matters thrown up by the waves furnish him 

 with a constant and plentiful supply of food. Others trace 

 him to the dark recesses of hollow trees, and subterra- 

 neous caverns, where they suppose he dozes away the 

 winter, making, like Robinson Crusoe, occasional recon- 

 noitering excursions from his castle, whenever the weather 

 happens to be favorable. But amid the snows and severi- 

 ties of winter, I have sought for him in vain in the most 

 sheltered situations of the Middle States ; and not only in 

 the neighborhood of the sea, but on both sides of the moun- 

 tains. I have never, indeed, explored the depths of caverns 

 in search of him, because I would as soon expect to meet 

 with tulips and butterflies there, as Blue-birds ; but among 

 hundreds of woodmen, who have cut down trees at all 

 seasons, I have never heard one instance of these birds 

 being found so immured in winter ; while in the whole of 

 the Middle and Eastern States, the same general observa- 

 tion seems to prevail that the Blue-bird always makes his 

 appearance in winter, after a few days of mild weather. 

 On the other hand, they are said 'to be numerous in the 

 woods of North and South Carolina, in the depth of winter, 

 and gentlemen of respectability, who have resided in the 

 islands of Jamaica, Cuba, and the Bahamas and Bermu- 

 das, say that this very bird is common there in winter. 

 We also find from the works of Hernandez Piso, and 

 others, that it is well known in Mexico, Guana, and Bra- 

 zil ; and if so, the place of its winter retreat is easily as- 

 certained, without having recourse to all the trumpery of 

 holes and caverns, torpidity hybernation, and such ridicu- 

 lous improbabilities. 



