582 NORTH AMERICAN RIRI)8. 



Tlie nests found \>y Air. Kcnnicott were all on the ground, more or loss 

 concealed in tufts of grass, dry leaves, or jn-ojecting roots. Some were in 

 tliick woods, others in more oi)en regions, and were lined with moose-hair. 



Mr. lioss states that this species fretiiunts all the Mackenzie Iviver region 

 in summer, arriving alwut the 20th of April, and leaving ahout the 10th of 

 Octol)er. Besides its call-note, or chirp, it has a very i)retty song. 



Mr. Dall also nemarks that tliey were (juite connnon at Nulato in the 

 spring, not arriving there, however, until ahout the first of .hine. 



According to Mr. Dresser, it is found occasionally abinit San Antonio 

 in winter, and Dr. Woodhouse says tliat it is also common in the Indian 

 Territory in fall and winter. According to Mr. Audubon, it makes its 

 appearance in Louisiana in November, and remains there until early spring. 

 It is also abundant in South Carolina, arriving there in October and leaving 

 in April. 



Tliis species was observed by Mr. Aiken in Colorado Territory for about 

 three weeks following March 20, after which they were seen no more. 



It breeds more or less abundantly in the northern and eastern portions of 

 Maine. About Calais and in all the islands of the 15ay of Fundy, and 

 throughout New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, I found this by i'ar the most 

 connnon and familiar species, especially at Pictou, where it abounded in 

 the gardens, in repeated instances coming within the outbuildings to build 

 its nests. In a woodslied connected with the dwelling of Mr. Dawson, my 

 attention was called to the nests of several of these birds, built within reach 

 of tlie hand, and in places where tiie family were passing and repassing 

 throughout the day. In I'ictou they were generally called tlie Bluebird l)y 

 the connnon people. On my ride from Ilalii'ax to Pictou, I also found these 

 birds breeding by the roadside, often under the shelter of a projecting bank, 

 in the manner of the Passaxulus savanna. I afterward found them nesting 

 in similar situations among the White Mountains, tlie roadsides seeming to 

 be a favorite situation. In habits and notes, at Pictou, they reminded me 

 of the connnon SinzcUa socialis, but were, if anything, more fearless and 

 confiding, coming into the room where the family were at their meals, and 

 only flyiiig away when they had seciu-ed a crumb of sutHcient size. 



In Western Massachusetts they breed in all parts of the mnge of Oreen 

 Mountains, from Blandford to North Adams. They appear about Spring- 

 field in October and November, and are for a while abundant, and are then 

 gone until March, when they return in full song, and remain numerous into 

 April, and less common until into May. In tlie eastern part of the State 

 they are found from October to late in May, with some irregularity and in 

 varying numbers. Mr. Audubon did not meet with any on the coast of 

 Labrador, and Dr. Coues did not find them so abundant as he expected, and 

 did not observe any until the latter part of July, at which time the young 

 were already hatched, and they were associated in small companies. They 

 kept entirely in the thick woods, and seemed rather timid. 



