CLASS II. AVES: ORDER 2. PASSERES. 



145 



earliest spring, and retiring to the soutli in the autumn. Its food consists of insects and spiders 

 in summer, and berries in winter; its nest is usually made in the hollow limb of a tree, the rail 

 of a fence, or a box about the house or garden, kindly provided by the farmer ; the eggs are five 

 to six, of a pale blue color. Nothing can exceed the loving gentleness of these birds in their- 

 intercourse with each other. Wilson says: "The usual spring and summer song of the bluebird 

 is a soft, agreeable, and oft-repeated warble, uttered with open, quivering wings, and is extremely 

 pleasing. In his motions and general character he has great resemblance to the robin redbreast 

 of Britain, and had he the brown-olive of that bird, instead of his own blue, could scarcely be 

 distinguished from him. Like him, he is known to almost every child; and shows as much con- 

 fidence in man by associating with him in summer as the other by his familiarity in winter. He 

 is also of a mild and peaceful disposition, seldom fighting or quarreling with other birds. His 

 society is courted by the inhabitants of the country, and few farmers neglect to provide for him, 

 in some suitable place, a snug little summer-house, ready fitted and rent free. For this he more 

 than sufficiently repays them by the cheerfulness of his song, and the multitude of injurious in- 

 sects which he daily destroys. Toward fall, that is, in the month of October, his song changes 

 to a single plaintive note, as he passes over the yellow, many-colored woods; and its melancholy 

 air recalls to our minds the approaching decay of the face of nature. Even after the trees are 

 stripped of their leaves, he still lingers over his native fields, as if loath to leave them. About 

 the middle or end of November few or none of them are seen; but, with every return of mild 

 and open weather, we hear his plaintive note amid the fields, or in tlie air, seeming to deplore 

 the devastations of winter. Indeed, he appears scarcely ever totally to forsake us, but to follow 

 fair weather through all its journeyings till the return of spring." 



The Western Bluebird, >S'. occidcnfalis, is seven inches long ; upper parts light blue, chest- 

 nut-red, and grayish-white; has a sweet and varied song; found west of the Rocky Mountains. 



The Arctic Bluebird, S. Arctica, is seven and a quarter inches long; azure blue above; 

 whitish-gray beneath; found on the Columbia River. 



Tnu NIGIITIXGALE. 



THE SYLVIN.E OR TRUE WARBLERS. 



This sub-family presents several genera and numerous species in both hemispheres. They are 

 small, lively, active birds, generally living among trees and bushes, feeding chiefly on insects, but 

 sometimes also on fruit and seeds. Their nests are usually cup-shaped, and neatly constructed; 

 the eggs vary from five to eight; two broods are usually produced in a season. They arc migra- 

 tory, and. generally gifted with the power of song; indeed, we find several of the species pre-emi- 

 nent in this respect 



Vol. II.— 19 



