128 Birds Every Child Should Know 



finest voice possessed by any bird in the great 

 sparrow tribe. But it is when the singer is in 

 love that the song reaches its highest ecstasy. 

 Then he springs into the air just as the yellow- 

 breasted chat, the oven-bird, and woodcock do 

 when they go a-wooing, and sings excitedly 

 while mounting fifteen or twenty feet above 

 his mate until he drops exhaustCvd at her side. 



INDIGO BUNTING 



Called also: Indigo-bird. 



Every child knows the bluebird, possibly the 

 kingfisher and the blue jay, too, but there is 

 only one other bird with blue feathers, the little 

 indigo bunting, who is no larger than your pet 

 ^anary, that you are ever likely to meet unless 

 you live in the Southwest where the blue gros- 

 beak might be your neighbour. If, by chance, 

 you should see a little lady indigo-bird you 

 would probably say contemptuously : " Another 

 tiresome sparrow," and go on your way, not 

 noticing the faint glint of blue in her wings and 

 tail. Otherwise her puzzling plumage is de- 

 cidedly sparrowy, although unstreaked. So is 

 that of her immature sons. But her husband 

 will be instantly recognised because he is the 

 only very small bird who wears a suit of 

 deep, rich blue with verdigris-green reflections 



