American Song Birds. 419 



The American Goldfinch, or Yellow Bird ( JPringiila tristis), 

 sings very much like the European goldfinch ; but so weakly, 

 that, even when perched over your head, the notes appear to 

 come from a distance. In a cage he sings with great energy 

 and animation. They are migratory birds ; and, when they 

 arrive in spring, great numbers of them assemble on the same 

 tree, to bask and dress themselves in the morning sun, sing- 

 ing at the same time, in concert, most delightfully, for half an 

 hour together. 



The Indigo Bird (Fringilla cyanea) is fond of perching on 

 fences about road-sides, and is a vigorous and pretty good 

 songster ; mounting to the tops of the highest trees, and 

 chaunting for half an hour at a time. His song is a repetition 

 of short notes, commencing loud and rapid, and falling by 

 imperceptible gradations, till they seem hardly articulate, as if 

 the little minstrel were quite exhausted. After a pause of 

 about half a minute, he begins as before. Unlike most other 

 birds, he chaunts with as much animation under the meridian 

 sun in June as he does in a May morning. 



The Song Sparrow (i^ringilla meloda) is by far the earliest, 

 sweetest, and most unwearied of the American song birds, 

 sometimes continuing in song during the whole year. His 

 note, or rather chaunt, is short but very sweet ; somewhat 

 resembling the beginning of the canary's song, frequently 

 repeated for an hour together. 



The whole song of the Black-throated Bunting (Emberiza 

 americana) consists of five, or rather two, notes ; the first re- 

 peated twice and very slowly, the third thrice and rapidly, 

 resembling chip-chip, che-che-che j of which ditty he is by no 

 means parsimonious, but will continue it for hours successively. 

 His manners are much like those of the European yellow- 

 hammer, sitting, while he sings, on palings and low bushes. 



The song of the Rice Bird (Emberiza oryzivora) is highly 

 musical. Mounting and hovering on the wing, at a small 

 height above the ground, he chaunts out a jingling melody of 

 varied notes, as if half a dozen birds were singing together. 

 Some idea may be formed of it, by striking the high keys of a 

 piano-forte singly and quickly, making as many contrasts as 

 possible, of high and low notes. Many of the tones are de- 

 lightful, but the ear can with difficulty separate them. The 

 general effect of the whole is good ; and when ten or twelve 

 are singing on the same tree, the concert Is singularly pleasing. 



The Scarlet Tanager (Tanagra rubra) has a pensive mono- 

 tonous note, like chip, churr, which appears distant, though 

 the bird be near. At times he has a more musical chaunt, 

 something like that of the Baltimore oriole. He is none of 



