FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 376 



599. Cyanospiza amoena (Say). Lazuu Bunting. 



Adult male. — Upper parts bright turquoise blue, chang-ing- to greenish 

 blue, darker and duller on middle of back ; wings with two white bars ; 

 breast and sometimes sides brownish; belly white. Adult female : upper 

 parts grayish brown, tinged with blue on rump ; back sometimes streaked ; 

 wing bars dingy ; anterior lower parts pale buffy, deeper on chest, fading' 

 to white on belly and lower tail coverts. Young : like female, but with- 

 out blue tinge on rump, and chest and sides usually streaked. Male : 

 length (skins) :;.0l-.'">.54, wing 2.T8-O.01, tail 2.07-2.1:7. bill .39-41. Fe- 

 male: length (skins) 4.91-.j.o8, wing 2.5<)-i>.8;:, tail 2.00-2.31, bill .3()-.41. 



Distribution. — Breeds in Transition and Upper Sonoran zones of the 

 western United States from Kansas to California; and from Briti>;li 

 ( 'olumbia to Arizona and Texas ; migrates to Lower California and the 

 ■/alley of Mexico. 



Nest. — Usually near water in weeds, willows, manzanitas, and other 

 bushes. £ggs : 3 or 4, plain bluish white, or pale greenish blue. 



The natural home of the blue-coated, brown-breasted lazuli is in 

 the chaparral of warm valleys like those of southern California or in 

 village shrubbery in climates like that of the Salt Lake plain, but like 

 the green-tailed towhee it follows the chaparral to the higher levels, 

 and though nominally a Transition and Upper Sonoran zone bird, is 

 sometimes found in willows of the Canadian zone. In the Sierra 

 above Donner the middle of July we found it as high as 7900 feet, 

 singing gayly in a patch of willows in a tiny mountain meadow 

 surrounded by firs and overhung by snowbanks ; and one of the 

 hardy little fellows has even been reported from Fremont Pass. 



The song of the lazuli is of the bright, musical finch type, and like 

 that of Oreospiza and Chondestes has a marked burr. The call-note 

 is an emphatic quit' or sometimes chnck. 



Though less demonstrative than the house finch, the lazuli some- 

 times spreads his blue feathers before his mate in pretty gallantry ; 

 and as a parent, though not boldly aggressive, he is watchful and 

 devoted, singing on his way to the nest even with a bill full of 

 insects. 



600. Cyanospiza versicolor (75oHfl;>.). Varied Bunting. 



U^pper nian(li])h' curved. Adult male in summer: forehead and rump 

 brigiit bluish jjurple. or imrplisli blue ; back of neck bright red. changing 

 to purplish red on middh- of back ; und"r i)arts plum red fading to jiluni 

 purple on belly. Adult female in summer: upper parts brownish, tinged 

 with olive aiul sometimes with bluish, becoming dull bluish on rump; 

 wings and tail with gray or blue edgings ; under ])arts dull whitish and 

 brown. Adult male in winter : color of crown, back, and scapulai"s ])artly 

 obscured by grayish brown tij)s to feat hei-s ; under j>arts with buffy tips. 

 Adult female in wintt^r : browner. Young: brown; wing with huffy 

 bands ; under parts whitish nu'diallv, brown on chest and sides. Male : 

 length (skins) 4.;V)-.").4(5, wing' 2.49-2.80, tail 1.97-2.2fi, bill .37-.44. Fe- 

 male: length (skins) 4.44-r).;5S, wing 2.39-2.55, tail 1.93-2.10, bill .:i7-.41. 



Distribution. — From .southern Arizona and the valley of the Lower 

 Rio (M-anile in Texas south to Lower California .'ind Guatenuila. 



