5°



Dr. A. G. Butler,



Manitoba on the north to Florida and Texas in the south, and

west to the Rocky Mountains. As in the case of so many other

groups of birds, the varied environment of climate and altitude

in the far west and in Mexico have produced physical changes

in the Bluebirds of those regions. The last haul of the fine-

meshed taxonomic net of our systematist reveals two sub-species

of our Eastern Bluebird, five forms of the western Mexican

Bluebird (differing chiefly in the transposition of blue and chest¬

nut on throat and back), and, most beautiful of all, the specifically

distinct Mountain Bluebird, almost wholly blue in colour—

cserulean above, pale lavender beneath.



THE BLUEBIRD IN CAPTIVITY.


(Sialia sialisJ.


By Dr. A. G. Butler.


It would be difficult to say much about the life of this bird

in captivity which has not already been said ; but, for the sake of

those who have not had the pleasure of keeping and breeding it

and who may, perchance, not have read the various published

accounts of its aviary life, a brief description of my experience

of the species may not come amiss.


I purchased my pair of birds, I think, about 1889, from the

late Mr. Abrahams, and turned them into the lighter of my two

bird-room aviaries, where they behaved quite amiably towards the

other inhabitants until June 1890 when courting commenced.

This was carried 011 in the usual manner, the male bird flying up

to the female with a piece of egg or a living insect in his bill and

feeding her with it, uttering at the same time a soft barely

audible whistle.


Pairing was a very noisy affair on the part of the male

bird, and the manner in which he distorted his whole body was

extraordinary. I would refer those of our members who have

not seen it to Mr. W. R. O. Grant’s faithful representation of the

courting attitude of EriLhacus rubecula* I11 this drawing the


neck is stretched, the bill pointed upwards, but tail thrown



Ibis , 1902, Vol. II., page ,678.



