208 
THE BLUE GROSBEAK. 
From Texas to New Jersey, and up the Mississippi to Memphis. Rocky 
Mountains. Rather rare. Migratory. 
Blue Grosbeak, Loxia coerulea , Wils. Amer. Orn., vol. iii. p. 78. 
Fringilla ccerulea, Bonap Syn., p. 114. 
Blue Grosbeak, Fringilla ccerulea, Nutt. Man., vol. i. p. 529. 
Blue Grosbeak, Fringilla coerulea, Aud. Orn. Biog\, vol. ii. p. 140; vol. v. p. 508. 
Adult Male. 
Bill rather short, robust, bulging a little at the base, conical, acute ; upper 
mandible with its dorsal outline very slightly convex, as is the lower, both 
rounded on the sides, the edges acute and straight to near the base, where 
they are a little deflected. Nostrils basal, roundish, open, partially con- 
cealed by the feathers. Head rather large, neck short, body robust. Legs 
of moderate size ; tarsus of the same length as the middle toe, covered 
anteriorly with a few scutella, the upper long, posteriorly sharp edged ; 
toes scutellate above, free, the lateral ones nearly equal ; claws slender, 
arched, compressed, acute. 
Plumage soft, rather compact above, blendedbeneath. Wingsof moderate 
length, third and fourth primaries longest. Tail rather long, emarginate. 
Bill pale greyish-blue beneath and on the edges of the upper mandible, 
the rest of which is dusky. Iris brown. Feet dusky. The general colour 
of the plumage is deep purplish-blue. Lore, chin, and a line round the base 
of the mandibles, black. Quills and larger coverts brownish-black, the pri- 
maries edged with blue, the secondary quills, secondary coverts, and first 
row of smaller coverts light reddish-brown. Tail feathers brownish-black, 
edged with blue, as are the under tail coverts. 
Length 7$ inches, extent of wings 11 ; bill along the ridge along the 
edge ft ; tarsus 1. 
Adult Female. 
Bill as in the male, but paler. Feet brown. Head and hind part of the 
back, as in the male ; the back, sides of the neck, and fore part of the breast 
greyish-brown, tinged with dull blue. The rest of the under parts yellow- 
ish-grey. The wings are nearly as in the male, but lighter, and the black 
at the base of the bill is wanting. The dimensions are somewhat less than 
those of the male. 
Young bird fully fledged. 
Bill yellowish-grey, dusky above. Feet brown. The general colour is 
light greenish-brown, the upper part of the head, the back, smaller wing 
coverts and upper tail coverts tinged with dusky. The wings and tail are 
as in the female. 
