82 BLUEBIRD. 
our Bluebird. Convenient nesting boxes should be put up for it in ornamental and fruit 
trees and on posts. Cats, Blue Jays, House Sparrows, and other enemies, should not be 
tolerated in gardens and orchards. 
As a cage-bird our ‘‘Cottage Warbler” is well adapted, when treated in the same 
way as the Mockingbird.—It stands extraordinarily high in the estimation of the bird 
fanciers of Germany and is often reared there in cages. Dr. A. Frenzel and E. von 
Schlechtendal contributed to the ‘“Monthly Magazine of the German Society for the Pro. 
tection of Birds” complete accounts of their success in breeding these birds in captivity. 
The latter writer claims to have had a male more than seven years in his possession. 
Before he received it, it had belonged to Dr. Liebe, who had obtained it from the Aqua- 
rium in Berlin, which was then under Dr. Brehm’s direction. He writes thus: ‘In the 
beginning of this summer, the male moved his heautiful blue wings so amorously and 
the female sought small grass-blades with such zeal that I, finally, placed a nesting box 
and some hay in the cage—for no more is needed to make a pair of Bluebirds happy. 
At first the female was somewhat shy, but the male urged her so constantly and press- 
ingly that she soon began carrying hay into the box. She alone built the nest -while 
the male looked on with quivering wings and tender warblings. The simple nest was 
soon finished, the female disappeared, and soon the presence of little Cottage Warblers 
was indicated by the joyful actions of the old ones. They are perfectly lovely, these 
little Bluebirds, when they, at length, leave their nest. They look at one with their 
‘large eyes in-a very true-hearted manner. They are so trustful that one may assist in 
feeding them. When they once understand how to overcome a meal-worm themselves, 
they will innocently fly to their attendant’s hand when he holds out to them the 
wriggling larve. The parents, however, let them be ever so tame, always remain 
cautious, and raise.a warning note when they imagine that danger threatens. This 
note teaches the children greater precaution and they somewhat lose their childish ease. 
When the sons are grown and the spotted child’s dress exchanged for the blue toga 
virilis of the old birds, it is the father’s opinion that the man should brave the hardships 
of existence. He may be seen trying to make this unmistakably clear to the son by 
sharp blows of the bill, thereby urgently enjoining him to be off as quickly as possible.”’ 
The food which the Cottage Warblers receive in confinement consists of a mixture 
of dried ‘“‘ants’ eggs,” cooked and grated ox-heart, grated ‘‘egg-bread,” grated carrot, 
with an addition of pulverized hemp, poppy-seed flour, and ‘ground May-beetles” (Me- 
lolantha vulgaris), followed by meal-worms and currants. In summer, berries and fresh 
“ants’ eggs” are also given. The parents receive for their nestlings an abundance of 
small meal-worms and fresh ‘“‘ants’ eggs” mixed with finely grated “egg-bread.” 
The Bluebird is distributed over a large portion of North America, ranging from 
the Atlantic to the Rocky Mountains, north to Manitoba and Nova Scotia, south into 
Mexico. In the highlands of Mexico it is represented by a similar variety, Sialia sialis 
azurca Bro., and in Guatemala by another variety, S. sialis guatemalae Ripcw. 
NAMES: Buvesirp, Bluc Robin, Blue Redbreast (Edw.), Blue Warbler, Cottage Warbler, Blue-backed Red- 
breast Warbler (Penn.), Common Bluebird, Eastern Bluebird, Wilson’s Bluebird, American Bluebird.— 
Blauvogel, Hiittensiinger (German), Rouge-gorge bleue de la Caroline (Buff.), Fauvette bleue et rousse 
(Le M.). EI azulejo (Mexico). 
