THE BLUE-BREAST. 233 



for the room (and it is a pity to hunt so pretty a hird for the table), 

 it is necessary, in order to preserve their feet, to cover the springes with 

 felt or cork. 



ATTRACTIVE QUALITIES. His pretty plumage, tricks, and great socia- 

 bility would be enough to make him charming. He is soon tamed, so as 

 to come upon the table and eat from a plate or the hand ; his cheerfulness 

 and agility must also give pleasure, always in motion, and bowing after 

 every hop and calling " sisri ; " but he is particularly valued on account 

 of his song. This song is generally more perfect and altogether superior 

 when he is caged than when hopping about the room. There are however 

 exceptions. The red-breast sings throughout the year, but in spring his 

 voice is most brilliant and his melody most enchanting. In a country 

 residence it is very easy to teach this bird to go and come, whether reared 

 from the nest or caught full grown. 



THE BLUE-BREAST. 



Motacilla Suecica, LINNAEUS ; La Gorge bleue, BUFFON ; Das Blaukehlchen, 

 BECHSTEIN. 



THIS bird may be considered as intermediate between the 

 redstart and the common wagtail, having very strong points of 

 resemblance with both. Its length is five inches and a half, 

 of which the tail occupies two and a quarter. The beak is 

 sharp and blackish, yellow at the angles ; the iris is brown ; 

 the shanks are fourteen lines high, of a reddish brown, and 

 the toes blackish; the head, the back, and the wing-coverts 

 are ashy brown, mottled with a darker tint ; a reddish white 

 line passes above the eyes ; the cheeks are dark brown, spotted 

 with rust red, and edged at the side with deep ash grey ; a 

 brilliant sky blue covers the throat and half way down the 

 breast ; this is set off by a spot of the most dazzling white, the 

 size of a pea, placed precisely over the gullet, which, enlarging 

 and diminishing successively, by the movement of this part 

 when the bird sings, produces the most beautiful effect. 



Some males have two little white spots on the throat, some 

 even have three, while others have none; these latter are 

 probably very old, for I have observed that as the bird grows 

 older the blue deepens, and the orange band becomes almost 

 maroon. 



It is easy to distinguish the female ; when young she has a 

 celestial blue tint on the sides of the throat ; this tint deepens 



