350 BIRDS 



occasionally in shrubs. They consist of twigs, herbaceous 

 stems, and bark fibers very loosely woven together and lined 

 with fine roots, grass, and hair. 



Our illustration is that of the male, whose bearing is 

 always both dignified and attractive. In life, "his body 

 looks graceful as he sits upon his perch, singing his love- 

 song, like a master-bird as well as a master musician." 



BLUE GROSBEAK 



The Blue Grosbeak is found on the Atlantic Coast in 

 New England westward to the Great Plains. A paler 

 form, known as the Western blue grosbeak, occurs in the 

 Rocky Mountain range, south through New Mexico and 

 Arizona. In the Great Lakes region of Indiana, Illinois, 

 Michigan, and Wisconsin they are of rare occurrence, a 

 shy but beautiful songster. They breed from thirtj^-eight 

 degrees south into ]\Iexico, wintering south of the United 

 States. 



This bird is probably more common in the Southern 

 Atlantic States than in any other place. The favorite food 

 is grain, especially rice; therefore the bird may be looked 

 for where this cereal is cultivated. They have a remark- 

 ably strong, awkward-appearing bill, which enables them to 

 crush the hardest seeds. 



Neltje Blanchan says: "This bird has the habit of sit- 

 ting motionless with a vacant stare many minutes at a time. 

 This impresses one with the fact that the bird must be 

 stupid, but they are exceedingly wary at times, and will not 

 permit close inspection. 



