¿56 A Z U R E W A R B L E R.
with expanded tail and drooping wings, and utters a plaintive note, resembling
in all these circumstances the Blue-eyed Warbler. I am not
sure that they raise more than one brood in a season. When the young
abandon the nest, their plumage partakes of a greenish tinge, and no difference
can be perceived between the sexes without dissection. The little
family move and hunt together, and exhibit much pleasure in pursuing
small insects on wing, which they seize without any clicking sound of
their bill. They seem at this period to evince a great partiality for
trees the tops of which are thickly covered by grape vines, amongst the
broad leaves of which they find ample supplies of food. They also sometimes
alight on the tall weeds, and pick a few of their seeds. The males
or females do not assume the full brilliancy of their plumage until the
following spring.
I am inclined to think that this species is extremely abundant in the
Mexican dominions, as I have observed these birds more numerous towards
Natchitochez and along the waters of the Red River. On the
other hand, I have not observed it eastward of the State of Tenessee.
The twig on which it is represented, belongs to a small tree or shrub,
which grows along the skirts of the forests in the State of Louisiana.
The bark is easily stripped off, when the wood shews a yellow, resinous
colour. It is brittle, and is not applied to any use. The berries are
eaten by different species of birds.
S Y L V I A A Z U R E A , Stephens, Cont. Shaw's Zool. vol. i. p. 653.—Ch. Bonaparte, Synops.
of Birds of the United States, p. 8 5 ; and Amer. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 27. PI. xi.
Fig. 2. Young female.
C U J B U L E A N "WABBLEB, SYL.VIA COZRULEA, Wilson, Amer. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 141.
PI. xvii. fig. 5. Male.
Adult Male. Plate XLVIII. Fig. 1.
Bill of ordinary length, straight, much broader than deep at the base,
tapering, compressed toward the acute tip. Nostrils basal, oval, exposed.
Head of ordinary size. Body rather slender. Feet of ordinary length,
slender; tarsus compressed, covered anteriorly with a few long scutella,
acute behind, scarcely longer than the middle toe; toes free, scutellate
above; claws arched, slender, much compressed, acute.
Plumage soft and blended, glossy. Wings of ordinary length, the
first and second quills longest. Tail longish, even, of twelve rather nar-
2
A Z U R E W A R B L E R. 257
row, obtuse feathers. Short bristle-pointed feathers at the base of the
upper mandible.
Bill bluish-black. Iris blackish-brown. Feet blue. Head and upper
parts generally, of a fine rich blue, the back marked with longitudinal
streaks of blackish, and a narrow band of black from the forehead
passing along the lore to behind the eye. Tips of the two rows of larger
wing-coverts white, forming two conspicuous bands across the wing.
Quills black, externally margined with blue. Tail of the same colour,
each feather having a patch of white on the inner web, near the end, excepting
the two middle ones; all externally margined with blue. Under
parts white, as well as a streak over the eye, above which is a streak of
blackish.
Length 4£ inches, extent of wings 8 ; bill along the ridge T
5^, along
the gap ^ ; tarsus f, middle toe 7
7^.
Adult Female. Plate XLVIII. Fig. 2.
The female differs from the male, chiefly in having the colours paler.
THE BEAR-BERRY.
I L E X D A H O O N , Mich. FL Amer. voL ii. p. 228. Pursh. Fl. Amer. vol. i. p. 117.
— T E T B A N D B I A T E T B A G Y N I A , Linn. H I I A M N I , JUSS.
This species of Holly is distinguished by its elliptico-lanceolate leaves,
which are thick, leathery, shining, and reflected at the margin, and its
corymboso-paniculate, lateral and terminal peduncles. The berries are
globular and bright red.
11