BLUEBIRD. 213 



Sialia sialia, Baird P. R. R. Rep., ix, 1858, 222. — Wheaton, Ohio Agric. Eep. for 1860, 

 363 ; Repriut, 1861, 5 ; Food of Birds, etc., Ohio Agric. Rep. for 1874, 562 ; Reprint, 

 1875, 2.— iNGERSOLL, Am Nat. iii, 1869, 391. — Langdon, Cat. of Birds of Cin., 1877, 

 3; Revised List, Jour. Cin. Soc. Nat. Hist., i, 1879, 169; Reprint, 3. 



Bluebird, Kiktland, Fam. Vihitor, i, 1850, 1, 55. — Ballou, Field and Forest, iii, 1876, 136. 



Motacilla sialia, Linn.s;us, Syst. Nat., i, 1758, 187. 



Saxicola sialis, Bonapaktb, Adn. Lye. N. Y., ii, 1826, 98. 



Sialia wilsonii, Swainson, Zool. Journ., iii, 1827, 173. 



Sialia sialia, Halderman, Trego's Geog. of Penna., iii, 1843, 77. 



Male, uniform sky blue above, reddish brown below, belly white. Female, duller. 

 Young, spotted. 



Habitat, Eastern United Scates, Canada, Nova Scotia, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, 

 New Mexico, Bermudas, Cuba, Guatemala. 



Very common. Summer resident iu Middle and Northern Ohio. 

 Resident in small numbers throughout the year in vicinity of Cincin- 

 nati. {Langdon.) Breeds. 



The Bluebird is one of the best known birds, and a general favorite. 

 It is generally the first of our summer birds to arrive, and is often seen in 

 February when the ground is still covered with snow. At, such times, 

 flying high overhead, and almost invisible in the dazzling sun-light, it 

 attracts attention by its familiar notes. The first comers are usually 

 solitary birds, and are often forced to seek a refuge from succeeding storms 

 or even to return southward. So soon as there is a prospect of continuous 

 milder weather, these birds appear in pairs and small flocks, and 

 are generally dispersed over the country. They make themselves equally 

 at home and welcome in city and country. Iq many towns in this State, 

 as elsewhere, they build their nest in boxes provided for birds. This is 

 seldom the case in this city, though their frequent twittering warble 

 is heard everywhere. In former years they were more abundant 

 during the breeding season than at present. This was doubtless owing 

 to the greater abundance of suitable breeding places. The nesi is placed 

 in a hole, either of tree, stump, or post, sometimes in crevices of houses. 

 Sometimes queer places are chosen ; a nest was found by Mr. Oliver Davie 

 of this city in the interior of a wheel of a railroad car, during the strike 

 a few years since. It is usually scantily constructed of grass. The eggs 

 are four or five in number, light blue, unspotted, measuring .81 by 62. 

 Very rarely they are white. An instance is recorded at Oberlin, Ohio, 

 by Mr. IngersoU (1. c.) as follows : " I found on the 17th of May a nest of 

 eggs so peculiar that I wish you could know of them. I was hunting 

 east of here when I saw a bluebird enter a small hole in an old stump. 

 I noted her carefully, and also recognized a male near by. I found my 

 hand would not enter, and that the bird would not come out, I pushed 



