BLUEBIRD. _ 213 
Sialia sialis, BAIRD, P. R. R. Rep., ix, 1858, 222.—W HEATON, Ohio Agric. Rep. for 1860, 
363; Reprint, 1861, 5; Food of Birds, etc., Ohio Agric. Rep. for 1374, 562; Reprint, 
1875, 2.—INGERSOLL, Am Nat. iii, 1869, 391.—Lan@pon, Cat. of Birds of Cin., 1877, 
3; Revised List, Jour. Cin. Soc. Nat. Hist., i, 1879, 169; Reprint, 3. 
Bluebird, KIRTLAND, Fam. Visitor, i, 1850, 1, 55.—BaLLou, Field and Forest, iii, 1876, 136. 
Motacilla sialis, LINN US, Syst. Nat., i, 1758, 187. 
Saxicola sialis, BONAPARTE, Ann. Lye. N. Y, il, 1826, 98. 
Sialia wilsonit, SWAINSON, Zool. Journ., iii, 1827, 173. 
Sialia sialis, HALDERMAN, Trego’s Geog. of Penna., ii, 1843, 77. 
Male, uniform sky blue above, reddish brown below, belly white. Female, duller. 
Young, spotted. 
Habitat, Eastern United States, Canada, Nova Scotia, Montana, Wyoming, Culorado, 
New Mexico, Bermudas, Cuba, Guatemala. 
Very common. Summer resident in Middle and No :thern Ohio. 
Resident in small numbers throughout the year in vicinity of Cincin- 
nati. (Langdon.) Breeds. 
The Bluebird is one of the best known birds, and a general favorite. 
It is generally the first of our summer birds to arrive, and is often seen in 
February when the ground is still covered with snow. At such times, 
flying high overhead, and almost invisible in the dazzling sun-light, it 
attracts attention by its familiar notes. The first comers are usually 
solitary birds, and are often forced to seek a refuge from succeeding storms 
or even to return southward. Sosoon as there is a prospect of continuous 
milder weather, these birds appear in pairs and small flocks, and 
are generally dispersed over the country. They make themselves equally 
at home and welcome in city and country. In many towns in this State, 
as elsewhere, they build their nest in boxes provided for birds. This is 
seldom the case in this city, though their frequent twitterirg warble 
is heard everywhere. In former years they were more abundant 
during the breeding season than at present. This was doubtless owing 
to the greater abundance of suitable breeding places. The nest is piaced 
in a hole, either of tree, stump, or post, sometimes in crevices of houses. 
Sometimes queer places are chosen 3a nest was found by Mr, Oliver Davie 
of this city in the interior of a wheel of a railroad car, during the strike 
afew years since. It is usually scantily constructed of grass. The eggs 
are four or five in number, light blue, unspotted, measuring .81 by 62. 
Very rarely they are white. An instance is recorded at Oberlin, Ohio, 
by Mr. Ingersoll (1. c.) as follows: “I found on the 17th of May a nest of 
eggs so peculiar that I wish you could know of them. I was hunting 
east of here when I saw a bluebird enter a small hole in an old stump. 
I noted her carefully, and also recognized a male near by. I found my 
hand would not enter, and that the bird would not come out, I pushed 
