47 8 PERCHING BIRDS. 



Colonel Irby writes that " a pair nested in a hole outside the wall of my stables at 

 Gibraltar, in June 1869. Five eggs were laid, which were hatched about the 20th. 

 The nest was of small dried roots, and was very scanty. When the young were 

 hatched, I broke through the wall from the inside of the stable to the nest, making 

 the hole large enough to admit a small cage, in which I placed the nest and young ; 

 over the inside hole I then hung an old coat so as to shut out the light from the 

 inside, cutting a small slit in the coat, through which I used to watch the old birds 

 feeding their young within six inches. Both birds fed them at intervals of not 

 more than five minutes. The food consisted almost entirely of centipedes, with 

 now and then a large spider or bluebottle-fly by way of change. Two of the five 

 young died in the cage, from the old birds not being able to get at them. Of the 

 other three, only one attained maturity, living till October. He was very tame, 

 and of most engaging habits and disposition, in fact what the Spaniards call 

 ' simyxitico! In his younger days he was fed on soaked bread and bruised snails." 

 The blue thrush is a well-known bird at Kome, at Malta, and in many other 

 European resorts of tourists. Everywhere it frequents rocks, ruins, and old walls, 

 pouring forth its delicious music in solitary wastes. It is a favourite cage-bird, 

 and as such commands high prices ; but it is excessively delicate and difficult to 

 keep. The adult male is of a general dull blue above, the head and breast having 

 a silvery gloss, while the under-parts of the body are dull blue. The female differs 

 from the mate, in being greyish brown above, tinted with blue, and reddish buff on 

 the lower-parts. 



Possessing a characteristic plumage of sky-blue (associated 

 with chestnut in two instances), the bluebirds (Sialict) are easily 

 distinguished from all other North American birds. The bill is straight and 

 compressed, notched near the extremity ; while the wings are pointed and much 

 longer than the tail, which is slightly forked ; the feet being stout and short, and 

 adapted for perching, and not for running, as in the chats. Bluebirds are peculiar 

 to the American continent, and have no nearly allied representatives in the Old 

 World. No more charming bird is to be found in the United States than the blue- 

 bird or blue robin (Sialia sialis), which breeds as far north as Southern Canada, 

 and passes the winter months in great numbers in the Southern United States. 

 It is one of the first birds to arrive in the States in spring, preceding the 

 swallows and many other species ; indeed, it is occasionally observed as early as 

 January and February in its summer home. The male is a cheery songster, and 

 all his movements are characterised by grace and energy. The nest is jjlaced in 

 the hollow of some tree ; the eggs are pale blue, and unspotted ; and several broods 

 are reared in a season. The bluebird is often imported to Europe as a cage- 

 bird, and has often bred in confinement. Mr. A. G. Butler gives the following 

 account of some pet birds of this species : " my blue robins made friends early 

 in June, the cock-bird giving every insect he got hold of to the hen, to induce her 

 to receive his attentions ; the hen was very coy, and refused his advances until 

 about the end of the first fortnight; the pairing was a noisy affair, as the cock- 

 bird kept up an incessant shrieking noise, with his body elongated, and his beak 

 turned up to the ceiling, for fully half an hour beforehand, and for quite ten 

 minutes afterwards. On Sunday the 16th of June the hen spent the whole day 



