7s Noirni AMEincAX iurdb. 



The species described as ('i/iiniisj)i.:(i. /Ktirl/iiio in tlie Uirds of North 

 America, Imt wliicli so I'ar lias luil lieeii aclually d(!lect(!d north of Mexico, 

 is a niiniatiire Uairavd, mort; related, however, to tiie (1. coiicirta than to 

 arrnlcu. It is easily distinguislusil from the latter by more lobed bill, 

 darker back and under parts, alisenee of rufous winj^-bands, and inferior 

 si/e. Length, o inches; wiiiL;, I'.'iH. 



Males from the Tacilic coast re.iiion (California, ("olima, etc.) have tails 

 considerably longer than eastern si)ecimens, while those from California are 

 of a much lighter and less puridisli l>lue, the ditl'erence iieing nnicli the same 

 as lictween Sialla sialis and ^^'. (t::iiirii. 



Autumnal and winter males liavi; the feathers generally, especially on the 

 back and breast, tipped with light brown, ol)scuring somewhat the blue, 

 though producing a beautiful appearance. 



H.viUTS. The IMue (irosl)eak, though mfire a bird of the Soutii(>rn States, 

 is also one both of an extended and of an irregular distril)utiou. It was 

 even met with one year in the vicinity of Calai.s, Me., although none have 

 been known to occur in any part of the country between that jiointand New 

 York City. It is found from the Atlantic to the Pacific; coast. 



Tlie extent to which it is distributed throughout California is infernHl, 

 rather than known. Dr. Cooper noticed one at Fort Mohave, May (i, and 

 afterwards saw many more frequenting the trees and liushes along the river, 

 and singing a lively song, whicii he compares with that of the Curpodnvns 

 fiviitidU. He also saw tlii'm at Los Angeles and at Santa Barbara, and 

 states that they were found at Tit liiver, in the extreme northeastern part 

 of the State, l)y Dr. Xewhei'ry. Tliey were ol)served to frequent the banks 

 of streams crossing the great int(!rior plains and deserts, where there was 

 little vegetation except a few l)ushes. 



The lUue Cirosbeak was only met with by Mr. Iiidgway and his party at 

 Sacramento. It does not occur — or, if so, it was not seen — in the interior .so 

 fai' to the north as the route of Mr. King's survey. At Sacramento it was 

 fo\ind iVei|U(Miting tiie same localities as the Ci/ioiospizu ((i)W)i/i,i\ui\ a])])eared 

 to be characteristic of tiie cottoiiwood co]isos. Their nests were found be- 

 tween the 18th and the 2',)th of June, and were all in similar situations. 

 These were l)uiU in small cotton wood-trees, on the edge of the copse, and 

 wei'e all about six feet from the gnaind. 



Mr. .fohn liuiroiigiis, in one of l;is ciiarming popular essays > on the general 

 habits (if our liiids, refers to tlieir occasional ])reference, i?i sites lor their 

 nests, of the borders of fre(|uented roadsides, and mentions finding a nest of 

 the iilue (iroslteak among the trees that line! one of the main streets and 

 fashioiialile drives leading out of Washington City, less than half a mile 

 fnuii the boundary. Tlierc, he states, this biid, whicli, acc(jrding to Audu- 

 bon's oli.servations, is shy and reclu.se, allecting remote marshes and the bor- 

 ders of large ponds of stagnant water, had jilaced its nest in the lowest twig 



1 Atkutio Monllily, XXlll, p. "07. 



