PASSERES— SAXICOLIDAE— SIALIA MEXICANA. 101 



Fam. SAXICOLIDAE: Stone Chats. 



SIALIA MEXICANA, Sw. 

 Western Bluebird. 



Sialia mexicana, Swains., Fn. Bor.-Am., ii, 1831, 202. — Bd., Ives' Col. Exped., 1857-58, 

 pt. iv, 5.— Id., Birds N. A., 1858, 223.— Heerm., P. R. R. Rep., x, pr. iv, 

 1859, 43.— Kennerly, P. R. R. Rep., Wliipp. Route, x, 1859, 24.— Bd., U. 

 S. & Mex. Bound. Surv., ii, pt. ii, 1859, Birds, 9. — Id., Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. 

 Phihi., 1859, 190 (Fort Tejon, Cal.).— Henry, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 

 1S59, 106 (New Mexico).— Coop. & Suckl., P. It. R. Pep., 12, pt. ii, 1SG0, 

 173.— Bd., Rev. Am. Birds, i, 1802, 03.— Cotjes, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. 

 Phila,, 1S00, GO (Fort Whipple).— Jrf.,Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1808,82.— 

 Cooper, Am. Nat., iii, 1809, 32 (Montana).— Id., Birds Cal., 187(1, 28.— Id., 

 Proc. Cal. Acad., 1870, 75 (Colorado River). — Allen, Bui. Mas. Courp. 

 Zool., iii, 1872, 174 (foot-hills west of Denver, Colo.). — Coues, Key N. A. 

 Birds, 1872, 70.— Yarrow & Henshaw, Rep. Orn. Specs., 1872, Wheeler's 

 Exped., 1874, 7. — Henshaw, Rep. Orn. Specs., 1873, Wheeler's Exped., 

 1874, 98.— Bd., Brew., & Ridg., N. A. Birds, i, 1874, 05, pi. v, f. 2.— 

 Coues, U. S. Geol. Surv. Terr., 1874, 14. 



Sialia occidental^, Towns. — Woodii., Sitgieave's Exp. Zufli & Col. Riv., 1854, OS. — 

 Newb., P. R. R. Rep., vi, 1857, 80. 



This species possesses a wide range, being found from the Rocky 

 Mountains to the Pacific, and having been detected at various points from 

 Washington Territory to Mexico, yet it is by no means a common inhabitant 

 throughout this extensive area. In Utah, it was not found by our parties at 

 all, nor do I know of its occurrence in that Territory. In Colorado, it seems 

 to be rather uncommon in the eastern portion of the Territory. It was 

 not found in June near Fort Garland in 1873, nor at Santa Fe, N. Mex., in 

 June of 1874, where, however, the succeeding species was abundant. 



About July 23, Inscription, Rock, N. Mex., appeared to be a favorite 

 locality for the species, and large numbers of both old and young were con- 

 gregated together in the pinon and cedar trees. Their habits at this season do 

 not differ notably from the other species. From here southward, they were 

 frequently seen, commonly among the pines. At Camp Apache, in August, I 

 found them in large flocks in the pine woods, and accompanied by flocks of 

 Warblers, Nuthatches, and Titmice, to which they seemed to act as leaders, 



the whole flock following their flight from tree to tree. It apparently win- 

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