448 NOTES ON THE 
struction generally consist of soft grasses, feathers and wool, 
carelessly disposed, but adapted to warmth in the early season 
of the year in which the first brood is brought forth. 
Five eggs are the common number laid, sometimes six and 
sometimes only four, colored light blue with a faint tinge of 
greenish. ‘Two and three broods are usually reared in the 
season. Their food consists of large beetles, spiders and other 
common insects during summer, and berries, fruits and seeds 
later in the year. I need not attempt to describe its pleasing 
song or special habits which are so very well known, for it is a 
recognized favorite everywhere it goes. The Bluebird begins 
to be less frequently seen about the middle of October but is 
not usually without some representative during the Temarniee 
of the month and exceptionally into November. 
Its distribution is universal wherever there is timber, except 
perhaps the denser portions of the sunless forests. Itis never 
as abundant as the Robin, but only less so in most localities. 
Mr. Washburn thought it rather sparingly represented in 
autumn in the valley of the Red river. 
SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 
Entire upper parts including wings and tail continuous and 
uniform azure blue; the cheeks of aduller tint of the same; 
beneath reddish-brown; the abdomen, anal region and under 
tail coverts, white; bill and feet, black; shafts of the quills and 
tail feathers black. Female with the blue lighter and tinged 
with brown on the head and back. 
Length, 6.75; wing, 4.00; tail, 2.91. 
Habitat, eastern North America north to latitude 48°; west 
to western Kansas and lower Missouri regions. 
SIALIA MEXICANA Swarnson. (767. ) 
WESTERN BLUEBIRD. 
- I was not aware that this bird had been identified amongst 
the rare visitors of Iowa, until after placing it in my list of the 
birds of Minnesota, in October, 1880, as a straggler undoubt- 
edly. Iam very familiar with the bird on the Pacific coast 
where I met it constantly from latitude forty-five, southward to 
San Diego. Icould see no marked difference in its habits from 
the eastern bluebird. It chose the same kind of places for its 
nest and the same kinds of food for nourishment. IJnever saw 
any such marked proclivity to build in the immediate vicinities 
of dwellings and outhouses, but attributed this to its inferior 
powers of song failing to enlist the interest of families to invite 
