THE BLUE-BIRD. 209 



feathers tipped with white, the two outer ones being of the 

 same tint as the back. The under surface is a pure white. 

 It has a long curved bill of a grayish-black above, and yellow 

 beneath. The female differs from the male in having the 

 central tail-feathers of a drab colour, while the under part of 

 her body is of a grayish tinge. 



Early in the spring the males frequently engage in desperate 

 battles. After these contests are decided, the couples, pairing, 

 begin building their nests, generally among the horizontal 

 branches of an apple-tree. It is roughly formed of sticks 

 and twigs. On this bed the eggs, three or four in number, 

 of a uniform greenish-blue, are placed. While the female is 

 sitting, the male is generally not far off, and gives the alarm 

 by his notes should any person approach. The female sits 

 so close, that she may almost be reached by the hand, and 

 then suddenly precipitates herself to the ground, feigning 

 lameness to draw away the intruder from the spot fluttering 

 her wings, and tumbling over in the manner of a partridge, 

 woodcock, and some other birds. Both parents unite in 

 collecting food for the young. This consists, for the most 

 part, of caterpillars, particularly such as infest apple-trees. 

 They are accused, and with some justice, of sucking the eggs 

 of other birds,- like the crow, blue jay, and other pillagers. 

 They also occasionally eat various kinds of berries ; but from 

 the circumstance of their destroying numbers of very noxious 

 larvae, they prove themselves the friend of the farmer, and 

 are well deserving of his protection. 



THE BLUE-BIRD. 



While the robin redbreast cheers us in England during 

 winter with its song, the beautiful little blue-bird performs 



(379) H 



