EASTERN PAINTED BUNTING 151 



on the cage-bird situation for several years. Thanks to his experience 

 with West Indian peoples in former years, and his diplomatic handling 

 of the matter, cage-bird traffic was greatly reduced. 



Field marks. — The male painted bunting is so absolutely distinc- 

 tive that it cannot be confused with any other species. Howell's 

 (1932) vivid, if terse, description leaves nothing to the imagination, 

 although none is needed. This is what he says: "Head and nape 

 azurite blue (dark violet blue) ; foreback yellow-green; rump dragon's- 

 blood red; underparts scarlet." No one could fail to recognize such a 

 bird as that, but many of course, are not aware of its existence, and 

 when seeing it for the first time, are somewhat incredulous of the 

 evidence of their own eyes. 



The female is so utterly unlike the male that those unfamiliar with 

 the species would never connect the two. It is easy to understand, 

 however, that the brilliance of the latter would be a dead give-away 

 at the nest, while the somber colors of the female blend well into the 

 sm-rounding vegetation she frequents. To quote Howell (1932) 

 again, he says of her: "Upperparts oil green or bice green; underparts 

 pyrite yellow (yellowish green), shading to amber yellow on the belly; 

 wdngs and tail hair brown (dark drab) shaded with green." Peterson 

 (1947) notes her primary field characteristic by pointing out that "no 

 other small Finch is green." 



In closing my remarks on the bird's appearance, let me quote Miss 

 Clara Bates (MS.) once more. In writing of the earliest fall arrival at 

 Fort Pierce in 1937 (August 10) she says: "This little chap was down 

 on the shore in front of our place, feeding on a three-foot stalk of 

 heavy-headed sea grass. It was one of the most exquisite sights I 

 ever saw — the male in full plumage, clinging to the bending grass 

 stem and eating the seeds, chipping softly to himself all the time. 

 The white coral sand of the shore, the river blue as the tropical sky, 

 and the background of deep green sea-grape, made a wonderful 

 setting * * * his plumage was as gay as that of a painted butterfly, 

 and he poised as lightly on the grass-stem. He was so fearless that I 

 was able to move within a few feet of him, and could observe his vivid 

 red eyelids without using my field glasses." 



Fall. — The southward movement of the nonpareil starts rather 

 early, but covers a considerable period. From the northern limit of 

 its South Atlantic range (Beaufort, N.C.) the last appearance dates 

 in fall are nothing if not vague. Pearson and the Brimleys (1942) say 

 no more than that the bird leaves in "early autumn." In the Charles- 

 ton region the species becomes progressively less common in late 

 September and more so in October, when the males are difficult to 

 locate. Most of the birds leave during that month, and it is unusual 

 to see one after October 20-25. The latest record is November 4. 



