BLUEBIRD. 
177 
suppose he dozes away the winter, making*, like Robin- 
son Crusoe, occasional reconnoitring excursions from 
his castle, whenever the weather happens to be favour- 
able. But, amidst the snows and severities of winter, I 
have sought for him in vain in the most favourable 
sheltered situations of the middle States ; and not only 
in the neighbourhood of the sea, but on both sides of 
the mountains.* I have never, indeed, explored the 
depths of caverns in search of him, because I would as 
soon expect to meet with tulips and butterflies there, 
as bluebirds ; but, among hundreds of woodmen, who 
have cut down trees of all sorts, and at all seasons, I 
have never heard one instance of these birds being 
found so immured in winter ; while, in the whole of 
the middle and eastern States, the same general obser- 
vation seems to prevail that the bluebird always makes 
his appearance in winter after a few days of mild and 
open weather. On the other hand, I have been assured 
by different gentlemen of respectability, who have 
resided in the islands of Jamaica, Cuba, and the Baha- 
mas and Bermudas, that this very bird is common there 
in winter. We also find, from the works of Hernandez, 
Piso, and others, that it is well known in Mexico, 
Guinea, and Brazil ; and, if so, the place of its winter 
retreat is easily ascertained, without having recourse 
to all the trumpery of holes and caverns, torpidity, 
hybernation, and such ridiculous improbabilities. 
Nothing is more common in Pennsylvania than to see 
large “flocks of these birds, in spring and fall, passing at 
considerable heights in the air ; from the south in the 
former, and from the north in the latter season. I have 
seen, in the month of October, about an hour after 
sunrise, ten or fifteen of them descend from a great 
height, and settle on the top of a tall detached tree, 
appearing, from their silence and sedateness, to be 
strangers, and fatigued. After a pause of a few minutes, 
* I speak of the species here generally. Solitary individuals 
are found, particularly among our cedar trees, sometimes in the 
very depth of winter. 
VOL. II. 
M 
