The country people of Texas love these strikingly beautifiil birds to such a degree 

 that they do not allow them to be molested in any way. The nests have a great 

 resemblance to those of the Painted Bunting, but they are larger. In south-western 

 Missouri, at Freistatt, Lawrence Co., the Blue Grosbeak is a tolerably common bird, 

 breeding preferably in pear and apple trees, and sometimes even in snowberry, upright 

 honey-suckle, mock orange, and prairie rose bushes. The construction of the nests differed 

 much from those found in Texas. The exterior was usually built of fine bark-strips, 

 rootlets, grasses, moss, and spider webs, and the lining consisted of fine rootlets. In 

 this locality I found snake-skin never used in the construction of the nests. 



A friend near Tallahassee, who has a special love for these birds, informs me that 

 besides Cardinals, Mockingbirds, Bluebirds, Carolina Wrens, Painted Buntings, and 

 Orchard Orioles these birds breed every year in his garden in close proximity to the 

 broad veranda of the house, embowered in masses of Marcchal Niel, Chromatella, 

 Lamarque, Woodland Marguerite and Banksia roses. They feel perfectly at home among 

 the masses of camellias, Cape jasmines, holly-leaved' and sweet olives", cleyeras*, euryas,* 

 abelias^, pittosporums', banana shrubs', magnolias ^ laurustinus', sweet viburnums"", 

 silver shrubs", Japan euonymus^', retinisporas", cypresses", cunninghamias'*, podo- 

 carpus", and rose bushes. They prefer to nest in red cedars", in Cherokee" and 

 Macartney'' roses and in pear trees. The nests do not differ from those found in Texas. 

 In its nesting range the Blue Grosbeak is a very shy and quiet bird, rarely betraying 

 its hidden domicile by its presence or warning call-notes. Near my house in south- 

 western Missouri a pair had built its nest in a pear tree near a much frequented garden 

 path, but it was not before the young were hatched that it was discovered. The female 

 approaches and leaves the nest in a very quiet and stealthy way. Very early in the 

 morning the female carries the material to the nest, but the work stops when the sun 

 appears above the horizon. She also hatches the eggs without the assistance of her 

 elegant partner. Sometimes the latter aids her in feeding the young, and this work is 

 performed almost exclusively by him, when they have left the nest, while the female is 

 preparing for a second brood. When approaching the nest we may hear a low warning 

 note of the always watchful male. Without delay the female leaves her nest, flying low 

 over the ground and hiding among the bushes. Her neutral colors perfectly protect her 

 from observation, while the brilliant male is soon detected. But as the latter is always 

 on the alert to keep out of sight and to hide in the shrubbery, we rarely see him near 

 the nest. The pair is much attached to each other. In times of danger, when the female 

 leaves the nest, the male utters a metallic call-note, not very unlike the common note 

 of the Bobolink. 



The Blue Grosbeak is a very diligent singer in the early morning hours, and in 

 order to enjoy its song we must rise early. I have rarely heard its lively strain during 

 noon-tide, and not until it becomes cooler, late in the afternoon, the lovely and 

 varied song sounds through the air in its full beauty. While singing the bird is perched 



1 Osmantbus ilicifolia. » O. fragrans. b cieyeta Japonica. • Earya latifolia variegata. » Abelia rupestris. 

 • Pittosporum tobira. t Micbelia fuscata. » Magnolia graadlBora and glauca. » Viburnum tinus. lo Viburnum 

 odoratissimum. n Elxagnua Simoni. 12 Euonymus Japonica. 13 Retlnispora plumosa, R. obtusa, R. pisi&ra. 

 It Cupressus fanebris, C. Knightlana, C. Californica, C. toraloaa, C. glauca peadula. m Cunnlnghamia Sinensis, 

 ta Fodocarpua Japonica, P. Nagei. it Junlperus Virgiaiana. i» Rosa Sinlca. t» Rosa bracteata. 



