SAXICOLlDyE — TJIE 8A XK '( )LAS. 



03 



Niit. licniiii(l:i, IS'i'.t, '2S, (it! (rosiiU'Tit in lic/iiiililiil. Siih-in xl.ili-t, lyAril. ; .hiipr/i.i 

 si.i/i.'!, Ntri'. ; /ui/Z/irdCii irilsdiii, Sw. 

 I'iffuics ; ViKii.i.iPT, Ois. Am. Sept. I!, ]il. ci, cii, liii. -Wils. I, pi. iii. Ai n. Oiii. 

 Itiiif,'. II, 1)1. ixiii. — III. li. A. II, pi. c.w.viv. - Ddiiiinv, Cal). I, pi. .\ii. 



Si'. CiiAii. iMilirc u|)p('i- |)iiits, iiicliiilinj: wiiif,'-; iiml tiiil, rdntiiiiious iiiid luiiroini aziiro- 

 liliic: llic rhcck-siil'a (Uillcr tint dl' the ,>;aiiii'. lii'iicatii icildisli-hniwn ; the alKioiiicii, anal 

 n';,'ioM, ami iiiidcr tail-uovi'il.>i white. Jiill and foot black. Sl],al'l.>< of IIk' (|iiills and lail- 

 rcalli('r>< l)lacl<. I'Viiialc with the hliio li,i,diUT, and tiiij,'c(l with lirown on the lu;ad and 

 hai'k, Li'nu-lh. ().7i') ; win^f, 4.0(1 ; tail, 'J.OO. 



Yoiinij. Males (if the yoai- dnll hi-owii on iieai! and liaek : and le,-<.'<er (•overls streaked, 

 exrept, on heail. with white. Thfoat and lore part ol'lncast sti-eaked with wliite. Tertial.s 

 eilired with lii-own. liest of coloialioii soinewdiat like adnlt. 



Had. Eastei-n I'nited States ; west to Foil Laramie, Milk Rivor ; north to Lake Win- 

 nipei;; resident in lierninila ; Cuba (rare), ( iiNnr.Aeii. 



A specimen from (Juatemala (r)(),411(?, N'liii I'atten) relerrible to tlie 

 var. aziircd is iiii(li.stiii,i,'ui.sliiilil(! in color I'rom Xortli American example.'-' ; 

 the wino.s and lail are lon};er, liowever, mea.suriiig respectively 4.20 and 

 ,3.0(1. 



Habits. The Bluebird is almndant thronohout the eastern portion of 

 North America, breeding in nearly 

 every part, from Georgiti tuid Lonisi- 

 aiia to the Arctic regions, with only 

 this exception, that near the sea- 

 l)oard its mignitions do not extend 

 so far to the north as in the interior. 

 It is very mrtily to be met with be- 

 yond the Penobscot, althoiiLch Pro- 

 fe.ssor Verrill mentions it its very 

 common in the western part of Maine. 

 It is found throughout the year in the 

 Hermndiis, and occasicmally in ("iiImi. 

 The Selkirk Settlement is the most northern locality to which it has been 

 traced. It is not known to occur larther west than the highlands west of 

 the Mississi])pi. 



Througli idl the Eastern States the lUiitibird is one of the most familiar 

 and welcome of the earliest visitors of s])riiio, u.suiiUy making its appear- 

 iincc as ciirly as the first of Miirch. In mild sca.sons they come in the latter 

 jiart of February, long before there is any ai.]iarent relaxation of the severity 

 of winter. In IS.")?, in eonsetiuence of the unusual mildness of the season, 

 I'.iiK'birds iippeinvd ill lai'nx' numbers as early tis the If.th of February,' 

 and reniiiined apparently without siilfering any iiK'onvenience, although the 

 weather sul)se(iuently became quite sevei'c. In 1869 their first ap])earance 

 was observed as early as the 28tli of Jiinuiiry, the earliest jjcriod of which 

 I can find any record. 



In the .Middle States, with every mild winter's day, the lUuebirds come 



Sia/ia sinlis. 



