410 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 
molt, and the ad. summer by wearing off of brown margins the following 
spring. Ad. ¢.—Upperparts grayish brown; in some specimens more or less 
blue about the head and rump and lesser wing-coverts; rump inclined to 
ashy; wings fuscous, the greater and middle coverts tipped with ochraceous- 
buff; tail fuscous, slightly margined with bluish gray; underparts brownish 
cream-buff, the feathers of the breast sometimes blue at the base. L., 7°00; 
W., 3°50; T., 2°75: B., °65. 
Range.—E. N. Am. Breeds in Carolinian and Austroriparian faunas 
from Mo., s. Ills., arid Md. s. to e. Tex., and n. Fla.; winters in Yucatan and 
Honduras; casual in s. Ind. and s. Pa.; accidental in Wisc., New England, 
the Maritime Provinces, and Cuba. ; 
Washington, very uncommon S. R., May 1-Sept. 20. Cambridge, A. V., 
one instance, May. ; 
Nest, of grasses, in bushes or high weedy growths. Eggs, 3-4, pale bluish 
white, ‘84 x 65. Date, Chatham Co., Ga., May 14; Raleigh, N. C., June 8. 
“Unless seen under the most favorable circumstances the adult 
male does not appear to be blue, but of an ill-defined, dusky color, and 
may easily be mistaken for a Cow Blackbird (Molothrus ater), unless 
most carefully watched; besides, they usually sit motionless, in a 
watchful attitude, for a considerable length of time, and thus easily 
escape observation. 
“The Blue Grosbeak frequents much the same localities as those 
selected by the Indigo Bird and Field Sparrow, viz., the thickets of 
shrubs, briers, and tall weeds lining a stream flowing across a meadow 
or bordering a field, or the similar growth which has sprung up in an 
old clearing. The usual note is a strong, harsh ptchick, and the song 
of the male is a very beautiful, though rather feeble, warble, somewhat 
like that of the Purple Finch, but bearing a slight resemblance also to 
that of the Rose-breasted Grosbeak” (Ridgway). 
598. Passerina cyanea (Linn.). Inpico Buntines Ad. ¢ in summer.— 
Rich blue, deeper on the head, brighter on the back; lores blackish; wings 
and tail black, margined with blue. Ad. # in winter—Resembles the ¢, but 
has more or less blue in the plumage. Ad. ¢.—Upperparts uniform grayish 
brown without streaks; wings and tail fuscous, sometimes lightly margined 
with bluish; wing-coverts margined with grayish brown; underparts whitish, 
washed with grayish brown and indistinctly streaked with darker; belly 
een Im.—Resembles the 9, but is darker. L., 5°59; W., 2°58; T., 2°11; 
+ “41. 
Remarks.—The female of this species is rather a puzzling bird, and may 
be mistaken for a Sparrow. Its unstreaked back and the slight tinge of blue 
generally present on the outer web of the wing- and tail-feathers should 
serve to distinguish it. 
Range.—E. N. Am. Breeds chiefly in Alleghanian and Carolinian 
faunas e. of the Great Plains from e. cen. N. D., cen. Minn., nw. Mich., 
s. Ont., s. Que., and s. N. B. s. to cen. Tex., s. La., cen. Ala., and cen. Ga.; 
mente from s. Mex., and Cuba to Panama; casual in e. Colo., s. Sask., and 
s. Man. 
Washington, common S§. R., Apl. 29-Oct. 9. Ossining, common 8. R., 
May 4-Oct. 17. Cambridge, common 8. R., May 15-Oct. 1. N. Ohio, com- 
mon 8. R., Apl. 26-Oct. 10. Glen Ellyn, fairly common 8S. R., May 1- 
Sept. 22. SE. Minn., common 8. R., Apl. 28-Oct. 2. 
Nest, of grasses, bits of dead leaves, and strips of bark, lined with fine 
grasses, rootlets, and long hairs, generally in the crotch of a bush. Eggs, 
3-4, pale bluish white, *73 x ‘57. Date, Richmond, Va., May 28; Chester 
Co., Pa., May 26; Cambridge, June 4; Brooklyn, Ind., May 21. 
