4 s 



■" blue From this, however, must be excepted the colour of the head, which is not 



" affected by the change of position." 



With the above all who have kept this bird will, I am sure, fully agree, 

 for the eulogy is most certainly not over-drawn. The nest is a loose and 

 careless structure, composed of grass, horsehair, rootlets, bents, etc., and is 

 usually placed on a tree or bush at a low elevation. The eggs are pale 

 whitish-blue, and usually three or four in number. Though a seedeater, the 

 Indigo Bunting consumes a large number of insects during the nesting 

 season. 



" Their favourite resort is the garden, where from the topmost branch of some tall 



"tree the male regularly pours out his lovely chant. In the village of Cambridge 



" (Mass.), I have seen one of these azure, almost celestial musicians, regularly chant 

 " to the inmates of a tall dwelling-house from the summit of the chimney or the tall fork 

 " of the lightning rod." 



Those of us who know this avian gem amid the greenery of the out- 

 door aviary, alone know how to appreciate its glowing beaut} - and the ever 

 changing hues of its exquisite plumage. So great is its beauty under 

 these conditions that it is impossible to describe it in a word picture ; what 

 then must it be when seen as a wild creature of the air in its native wilds ! 



The Purple Finch, by the same author and from another issue of 

 Bird Lore. Carpodus purpurea was like the preceeding once a common 

 inhabitant of our aviaries, but now ver} r rarely comes to hand, was seldom 

 seen for long in the beaut}' of full)' mature plumage. 



" The Purple Finch, which as I have said, is not purple, but, when in full plumage, 

 " washed with a rich raspberry-red, deepest on breast, crown and rump : brownish back, 

 " wings and tail, is one of the notable members of the family. Its bill is heavy and 

 " round, approaching in size those of the Grosbeaks, while in body it ranks with Song 



" and House Sparrows The change of the young male from his northern plain garb to 



" the full crimson costume is interesting as it is deliberate, taking two seasons, the rosy 

 " flush not appearing- till the end of the second year. The range of the Purple or 

 " Crimson Finch, as I wish the wise men would agree to call him, is eastern North 



" America In spite of his unique plumage, it is for his song that this bird has won 



" renown, and it is by his song that he is most readily to be identified These Finches 



" travel at times in flocks and are at all times somewhat gregarious, and this trait has 



" made them an easy prey to the bird catchers The Purple Finch, though, like many 



" others, hunts for succulent food, apple and cherry blossoms in the spring, has a 

 " decided economic value; for the seasons through it feeds upon orchard and woodland 

 " caterpillars, lice, cankerworms, and when these are out of date it consumes quantities of 

 " the seeds of injurious plants, including the noxious ragweed." 



As a cage bird after the moult they become more or less brown, and 

 very seldom regain their red colour. 



The Purple-capped Lory laying eggs in captivity. Just on 

 going to press a letter reaches ine from our esteemed member, Mr. O. 

 Millsum, re his Purple-caps. They are kept in a cage 3 feet by 2 feet. 



" A little bit of news in which you will be interested.— One of my Purple-capped 

 " Lories seemed very swollen round the vent during the last week, and I began to 

 41 feel troubled; I examined it very closely and no sign of inflammation was present, 



