The Blue Grosbeaks 



the Santa Rita Mountains, in Arizona. And on February 8th or 9th, 

 1914, Dr. J. A. Hornung, of Los Angeles, took specimens at Blyth, River- 

 side County, California. During the course of several days Dr. Hornung 

 saw as many as fifteen or twenty of these birds feeding on roadside weeds 

 bordering a cotton field. These two appearances are manifestly an 

 insufficient basis for any hypothesis, and we can only agree with Grinnell 

 in calling the Beautiful Bunting a casual visitant. 



Mexico having been a terra horrenda for many years past, we needs 

 must wait till the mask of the bandit is laid aside, and scientific explorers 

 are no longer scalped or held for ransom. Would you, then, know more 

 of the Beautiful Bunting? Then take your place among the Watchful 

 Waiters. 



No. 72 



Blue Grosbeak 



No. 72a Arizona Blue Grosbeak 



A. O. U. No. 597a, part. Guiraca caerulea Iazula (Lesson). 



Synonym. — Western Blue Grosbeak. 



Description. — Adult male in breeding plumage: In general, violet-blue (dark, 

 soft blue-violet), blackening around base of bill (broadly on lores) and on back, with 

 irruptions of black on breast, lightening (soft blue-violet) on crown and rump (where 

 "light soft blue- violet") ; the feathers of underparts and back (even in highest plumage, 

 but in lessening degree with advance of season) irregularly tipped with cinnamon- 

 rufous on back and major edging of wing, and on chest, broadly; with white or, casually, 

 with rufous on remaining underparts, especially abdomen and crissum. Median, 

 wing-coverts entirely russet; rectrices and remiges black, narrowly edged with blue, 

 the four outermost rectrices narrowly white-tipped. Bill dark bluish, black above, 

 lightening below; feet and tarsi brownish black. Adult female: Very different; 

 chiefly brownish gray (tawny olive to buffy brown) above, paler (cinnamon-buff to 

 pinkish buff) below; blue of male irregularly irruptive, in flecks and patches on breast 

 and flanks, and on head, especially the cheeks; rump tinged with bluish; median and 

 greater wing-coverts bordered with dull rufous (pinkish cinnamon), forming two in- 

 conspicuous bars; the breast and sides also sometimes faintly streaked with dusky. 

 Young birds resemble the adult female, with increase of the ochraceous element. 

 Length of adult male (skins): 165 (6.50); wing 86 (3.386); tail 66 (2.60); bill 16 (.63); 

 tarsus 20.6 (.81). Females are a little smaller. 



Recognition Marks. — Sparrow size; violet-blue of male distinctive. Female 

 and young dull brownish with only faint outcroppings of blue, — best known by size 

 and tumid beak. 



Nesting of Guiraca cczrulea. — Nest: Placed in briar tangles, weed-clumps, 

 thickets, or low in trees; a rather loose basket of coarse grass-blades, leaves, and vege- 

 table trash, lined coarsely or finely with grasses and rootlets or horsehair. Eggs: 



413 



