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ZTbe Ipainteb Bunting, or IRonpareil. 



By W. T. Grkkne, M.A., M.D., F.Z.S. 



This handsome and well known bird is often 

 spoken of as a finch, but this is a mistake, for it 

 possesses all the characteristics that distinguish the 

 Bunting sub-family of the order Passeres, and not one 

 of those peculiar to the finches, but I need not enter 

 into these particulars here. 



Herr August Wiener has well remarked that the 

 Painted Bunting is a glorified presentment of the 

 European Chaffinch, the disposition of colours and 

 markings being much the same in both species, only 

 infinitely more brilliant in the Nonpareil. 



Some time ago I was presented with a pair of 

 Painted Buntings which had, I was told, nested in 

 confinement, but with no success, for the eggs were all 

 barren. 



When I received the birds I was not greatly 

 surprised at their failure to perpetuate their species, 

 for they had a faded washed-out appearance, that did 

 not say mucli for their vigour, while their dull, list- 

 less manner confirmed the impression as to their 

 want of condition. 



The former owner of the Nonpareils had l)een 

 accustomed to feed them on white millet, canary seed, 

 and a little dried yolk of e^g. I do not advocate 

 making sudden and absolute changes in a bird's 

 dietar)^ even when the latter is not quite correct, so I 

 continued the food to which the Buntings were used, 

 but in addition, I put into the cage a drawerful of 

 ants' eggs, just to see if the birds would take some of 

 them. 



