THE BLUEBIRD 
183 
States is a country of such vast extent it is a 
physical mosaic of different elevations, soils, and 
climates. Roughly speaking, these are its physi- 
cal divisions: 
1. The eastern half, of ideal rainfall, boun- 
tiful harvests, and abundant shade. 
2. The Great Plains , fine for grazing, but mostly 
too dry for agriculture. 
3. The Rocky Mountain region, embracing a 
perfect medley of physical conditions, mostly 
high, rugged, and rather lacking in insect-life. 
4. The arid regions, of the country between 
the Rockies and Sierra Nevadas, extending from 
southern Washington to the City of Mexico, and 
including southern California. 
5. The region of great rainfall, on the north- 
western Pacific coast (northern California, Ore- 
gon and Washington). 
It is not strange, therefore, that we find typi- 
cal species of eastern animals developing west- 
ward into different colors, and also different 
pelage, and designated scientifically by different 
names. Take these examples by way of illus- 
tration : 
In the East we have the Common Bluebird. 
In the Rockies we have the Chestnut-Backed 
Bluebird, and also the Mountain Bluebird. 
In Arizona we have the Azure Bluebird. 
In the Pacific states we have the Western 
Bluebird, 
And in Lower California, the San Pedro Blue- 
bird. 
Is it at all necessary that the general student 
should know about all these different species in 
order to not be accounted ignorant? Let us see. 
Any sensible civilized person knows a cow at 
sight, also something of its place in Nature, and 
its habits. No one, however, save the special 
student of domestic cattle, is expected to be able 
to say, without “looking it up,” whether a par- 
ticular cow is an Alderney, a Jersey, a Short- 
Horn, a Hereford, or a Durham. 
The case of the Bluebird is quite similar. He 
who knows one Bluebird well, may justly claim 
a bowing acquaintance with all the others, and 
feel at home when in their company. 
Here in the East, the Bluebird is a thing of 
beauty, and a joy until the abominable English 
sparrows drive it away. It comes with the robin, 
to help chase winter away; and though we have 
heard it a hundred times, it is always welcome 
news, late in February or early in March, to 
hear some one say triumphantly, “I saw a Blue- 
bird to-day!” It is as needless to describe this 
feathered beauty, with the brown breast, and 
back of heaven’s bluest sky-tint, as it would be 
to describe a rainbow. 
Unfortunately, the Bluebirds are not good 
fighters, and the English sparrows harry them 
shamefully. They are timid, and easily driven 
away. Worse than this, they are easily killed 
by cold weather. The cold wave which visited 
the South in 1895 killed so many thousands of 
Bluebirds, especially in North Carolina and Ar- 
kansas, that for some time afterward the number 
visible in the North was alarmingly small. If 
not molested by the English sparrow, the Blue- 
bird takes readily to boxes erected on poles near 
farm-houses, similar to those frequently erected 
by the farmer boys to attract the purple marten. 
A good way to encourage robins and Bluebirds is 
to kill the English sparrows. 
THE KINGLET FAMILY. 
Sylvidae. 
The Ruby-Crowned Kinglet 1 is one of our 
smallest birds, and it is easily recognized by the 
tiny tuft of ruby-red feathers on the crown of its 
1 Reg'u-lus cal-en-du'la. Length, 4.25 inches. 
