2iO Kopman, Birds of Louisiana. LJan. 



243. Blue Grosbeak (Guiraca ccerulea cozrulea). Only transient in the 

 southern part of the State, and never common in the fertile alluvial region 

 and probably not common at any time in the prairie section. Just how far 

 south it breeds in Louisiana I do not know, but it has been found breeding 

 in central Mississippi. Has been found commonest in Louisiana about 

 cultivated lands in the piney regions of the southern portion of the 

 State. The earliest record of arrival at New Orleans is April 8, 1898. 

 The latest date of occurrence in spring is May 7, 1897. The earliest date 

 of arrival in fall at New Orleans is Aug. 28, 1899, and this has been found 

 to be about the average date of its arrival on the coast of Mississippi, 

 where it is fairly common in fall. In 1905, the last was seen at Biloxi, 

 Miss., Oct. 22. 



244. Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea cyanea). Summer visitor, but 

 not very common breeder in the southern part of the State; more com- 

 mon, however, in the fertile alluvial section than in the piney regions, 

 being found sparingly on the sugar plantations and about other cultivation. 

 Extremely abundant as a transient in the fertile alluvial section in both 

 spring and fall, and in the piney sections in fall. The earliest date of 

 arrival at New Orleans is March 26, 1899, and the first usually comes about 

 March 30. It becomes common about the end of the first week in April, 

 and usually reaches the height of its abundance from April 15 to 20. In the 

 fall, the first transient is usually seen at New Orleans about Sept. 22. It 

 is usually most abundant the second week in October, but is variably plen- 

 tiful from about Oct. 5 to Oct. 18 or 20. The last is usually seen at New 

 Orleans a few days after Oct. 20. At Biloxi, Miss., I saw one Nov. 1, 1905. 

 The following notes of its occurrence at Covington, La., were made in 

 1899: "Greatest number came Oct. 6. Few of these were left Oct. 12. 

 A second "wave" came Oct. 21. Last, Oct. 27." 



245. Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris). Summer visitor, commonest 

 in the central southern and southwestern part of the State. In the prairie 

 lands of St. Mary, Iberia, St. Martin and Lafayette parishes, it reaches its 

 greatest abundance. It is decidedly common, however, throughout the 

 cultivated lands of the fertile alluvial region of the southeast. The earliest 

 record of arrival is March 23 , 1894, Convent, La. It is seldom seen after the 

 latter part of September. One was noted, at New Orleans, however, Oct. 

 26, 1895. Males in perfect plumage may be seen up to the time of the 

 general departure of the species, and the late bird noted above was a male 

 in full plumage. 



246. Dickcissel (Spiza americana). When I began systematic ob- 

 servation of the birds of the State in 1893, this was a common spring tran- 

 sient at New Orleans, being noted in that year, and in the two years follow- 

 ing. Subsequent to 1895, however, none was seen at New Orleans until 

 1899 and then not again until 1912. In all the seasons in which it was seen 

 at New Orleans, it was present in Audubon Park as a late April transient. 

 In some of these seasons, it was seen also elsewhere. Found this species 

 breeding on the edge of a pasture in St. Mary parish in 1895, and the same 



