LAND BIRDS. t 727 
to the trees and vines from which the fruit is taken; and, finally, that the 
killing of any number of Robins in fruit growing regions will not materially 
lessen their numbers or protect the fruits from destruction unless the killing 
is persisted in season after season and is participated in by a great majority 
of the fruit growers. Complete immunity from the attacks of fruit eating 
birds can be secured by the use of the net to cover trees and vines. This 
method is expensive, and in many cases the expense would not be war- 
ranted, yet the experiment has been tried profitably in some places and 
further experiment in this direction is very desirable. 
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 
Male in summer: Mainly slate-colored above and brownish-red (cinnamon-rufous) 
below; top and sides of head black; throat white, with narrow black streaks; 2 white spot 
over the eye; wing-feathers dark slate, almost black, and tail-feathers quite black, except 
the outer feather on each side, which has a small white patch near the tip. The female is 
so similar as to be separated with difficulty; ordinarily the head is not quite so black and 
the back is rather grayer. The bill in both sexes is yellow, with black tip; iris dark brown. 
In fall and winter all the colors are duller and most of the feathers above and below have 
ashy margins. The young are spotted with black on back and breast, most thickly and 
heavily below. 
Length 10 inches or a little less, wing about 5.25, tail 4.25 to 4.50. The sexes are of 
the same size. 
325. Bluebird. Sialia sialis sialis (Linn.). (766) 
Synonyms: Common Bluebird, Eastern Bluebird, Blue Robin, Blue Red-breast, 
American Bluebird.—Motacilla sialis, Linn., 1758.—-Sylvia sialis, Vieill., 1807, Wils., 
1808, Aud., 1834.—Saxicola sialis, Bonaparte, 1826.—Ampclis_ sialis, Nutt., 1852.— 
Sialia wilsonii, Swains, 1839.—Sialia wilsoni, Bonap., 1838.—Sialia sialis, Haldeman, 
1843, and most subsequent authors. 
Known at a glance by the bright blue of the upper parts, including the 
wings and tail, and the deep cinnamon-brown breast and sides, only the 
belly and under tail-coverts being white. 
Distribution.—Eastern United States to the eastern base of the Rocky 
Mountains, north to Manitoba, Ontario and Nova Scotia, south, in winter, 
from the Middle States to the Gulf States and Cuba. 
The Bluebird is universally distributed throughout Michigan asx a summer 
resident, and indeed is common during the larger part of the year, since 
it arrives and departs at about the same time as the Robin, that is, arriving 
in March and leaving in November, while a few remain in the southern 
parts of the state during mild winters. Twenty-five years ago this bird 
Was one of the most familiar dooryard birds of the state, nesting in hollow 
stumps, deserted woodpeckers’ holes, or bird-boxes provided for its use, 
and frequenting almost every orchard and grove in the settled districts, 
often nesting in the shade trees of city streets and parks. With the advance 
and abnormal increase of the English Sparrow the Bluebird was driven 
from its nesting places and compelled to take refuge at a distance from the 
settlements, where, although compelled to contend with numerous other 
enemies, it was at least free from the harrassing attacks of the introduced 
English Sparrow. Fortunately the waste lands which had been abandoned 
by their owners after the timber was cut off furnished ample accommoda- 
tions for the nesting of Bluebirds, and throughout these desolate tracts 
in the northern part of the state the Bluebird has become one of the 
prominent and enlivening features. 
