A History of North American Birds, Land Birds. Volume 2. Robert Ridgway
of twigs and leaves which characterize this tree. The nest contained young when he discovered it, and though the parent birds were much annoyed by his loitering about beneath the tree, they paid but little attention to the stream of vehicles that was constantly passing. It was a source of wonder to him when the birds could have built it, as they are so much shyer when building than at other times. They must have worked mostly in the early morning, when they could have the place all to themselves. The same observer also noticed another pair of Blue Grosbeaks that had built their nest in a graveyard within the city limits. This was placed in a low bush, and the male continued to sing at intervals till the young were ready to fly. The song of this bird he describes as a rapid, intricate warble, like that of the Indigo Bird, though stronger and louder. Indeed, these two birds so much resemble each other in color, form, voice, manner, and general habits, that, were it not for the difference in size,—the Grosbeak being nearly as large again as the Indigo Bird,—he thinks it would be a hard matter to tell them apart. The females of both birds are clad in the same reddish-brown suits, as are also the young during the first season.
The nest of this species has also been found built in a tree within the grounds of the Smithsonian Institution, Washington.
The only time I ever met with this species was at Carlisle, Penn., in June, 1843. The previous month Professor Baird had found its nest in a low tree, in open ground, and we found these birds still frequenting the same grounds, where we found another nest containing three eggs. It was in a low thorn-tree on the edge of a wood, but standing out in open ground. The nest was about five feet from the ground.
The Smithsonian specimens are from Carlisle, Penn., obtained in April, May, and August; from Georgia, Texas, New Mexico, Nebraska, Mexico, etc. Mr. Lawrence enumerates this among the birds found near New York City. Mr. Dresser found it common near Matamoras in July and August. It was breeding there, though, owing to the lateness of the season, he was unable to procure any of its eggs. Dr. Coues speaks of it as generally distributed in Arizona, but nowhere very common. A single specimen was taken near Fort Whipple, August 10. Turnbull regarded it as a rare straggler to the southern counties of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, arriving there in the middle of May. Dr. Woodhouse found it common in the Indian Territory and Texas. Lieutenant Couch mentions seeing this bird first near Monterey, the male always preceding the female. He speaks of them as exceedingly tame. Mr. J. H. Clark states that this bird was not often seen, and, when observed, was generally solitary, preferring the dark ravines and the cañons on the mountain-sides. It is not mentioned by Sumichrast as a bird of Vera Cruz, but was found during the winter months at Oaxaca, Mexico, by Mr. Boucard.
Mr. O. Salvin states (Ibis, III, p. 352) that he found this species, though not of very common occurrence, pretty generally distributed, in winter, throughout Vera Paz. He met with it on the Plains of Salamà, and all the collections from the warmer districts to the northward of Coban contained specimens. It was found by Mr. George H. White near Mexico.
Wilson speaks of this bird as retired and solitary, and also as a scarce species, and as having but few notes, its most common one being a loud chuck. He was, however, aware that at times they have a few low sweet-toned notes. He mentions their being kept in Charleston in cages, but as seldom singing in confinement. He fed a caged bird of this species on Indian corn, which it easily broke with its powerful bill; also on hemp-seed, millet, and berries. He speaks of them as timid, watchful, silent, and active.
Mr. Audubon was, apparently, somewhat at fault in regard to the peculiarities of this species. His accounts of the eggs of the Pyranga æstiva are entirely inapplicable to that species, and, so far as I know, apply to no other bird than the Blue Grosbeak, to which they exactly correspond. He makes no mention and gives no description of the eggs of the latter. His statements as to the nest appear to be correct.
Dr. Bachman kept several of these birds in an aviary; two of these mated, took possession of the nest of a Cardinal Grosbeak, which they drove off, and laid two eggs that were unfortunately destroyed. In the aviary these birds were silent. Mr. Audubon kept one, in confinement, with him in Edinburgh. It had been raised from the nest. This bird frequently sang in the night, and before dawn. It was extremely tame, coming out or going into its cage at pleasure, perching on the head-dress of Mrs. Audubon, or on the heads of other members of the family, alighting on the table and feeding on almost anything given to it. If a gold or silver coin was thrown upon the table he would go to it, take it up in his bill, and apparently toss it about with pleasure. After bathing he would go to the fire and perch on the fender to dry himself. He would attack other birds, if put into the cage with him. In feeding he sometimes held his food in his claws like a Hawk.
The eggs of this bird are of a uniform light-blue color, and most resemble those of the Sialia arctica, but are larger and of a lighter color. Their color is quite fugitive, and readily fades into a dull white upon even a slight exposure to light. They are of an oval shape, equally rounded at either end, and measure .98 of an inch in length by .65 in breadth.
Passerina, Vieillot, Analyse, 1816. Not of Linnæus, used in Botany.
Spiza, Bonaparte, Synopsis, 1828. Not of 1825.
Cyanospiza, Baird. (Type, Tanagra cyanea, L.)
Cyanospiza amœna.
2645 ♂
Gen. Char. Bill deep at the base, compressed; the upper outline considerably curved; the commissure rather concave, with an obtuse, shallow lobe in the middle. Gonys slightly curved. Feet moderate; tarsus about equal to middle toe; the outer lateral toe barely longer than the inner, its claw falling short of the base of the middle; hind toe about equal to the middle without claw. Claws all much curved, acute. Wings long and pointed, reaching nearly to the middle of the tail; the second and third quills longest. Tail appreciably shorter than the wings; rather narrow, very nearly even.
The species of this genus are all of very small size and of showy plumage, usually blue, red, or green, in well-defined areas. The females plain olivaceous or brownish; paler beneath.
A. Head all round uniform blue; eyelids not different, commissure distinctly sinuated.
a. Lower parts blue; no white bands on wing.
1. C. cyanea. Entirely deep ultramarine-blue, more purplish on the head, somewhat greenish posteriorly. Female dull umber above, grayish-white beneath, the breast with obsolete darker streaks. Hab. Eastern Province of United States, south, in winter, to Panama.
b. Lower parts white, the breast rufous. One broad and distinct, and a narrower, more obsolete white band on the wing.
2. C. amœna. Head and neck, all round, and rump, bright greenish-blue; back, wings, and tail more dusky; a narrow white collar between rufous of the breast and blue of the throat. Female grayish-brown above, the rump tinged with blue. Beneath dull whitish, the breast and jugulum more buffy. Hab. Western Province of United States.
B. Head party-colored; eyelids different from adjoining portions. Commissure hardly appreciably sinuated, or even concave.
a. Back and breast similar in color. Upper mandible much less deep than lower, the commissure concave.
3. C. versicolor. Back and breast dark wine-purple, occiput and throat claret-red, forehead and rump purplish-blue. Eyelids purplish-red. Female fulvous-gray above, uniform pale fulvous below. Hab. Northern Mexico, and adjacent borders of United States; Cape St. Lucas.
b. Back and breast very different in color. Upper mandible scarcely less deep than the lower, the commissure straight, or slightly sinuated.
4. C. ciris. Lower parts vermilion-red. Back green, crown blue; rump dull red; eyelids red. Female dull green above, light olivaceous-yellow below. Hab. Gulf States of United States, and whole of Middle America.
5. C. leclancheri.11 Lower parts gamboge-yellow. Back blue, crown green, rump