NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 333 



598. Passerina cyanea (LINN.) [248.] 



Indigo Bunting. 



Hab. United States and Southern British Provinces; west to the Great Plains; south in winter to 

 Veragua. 



The Indigo Bluebird or Indigo Painted Bunting is quite an abun- 

 dant bird in various parts of the United States from the valley of the 

 Missouri to the Atlantic, and from Florida to New Brunswick. The 

 male of this species is of an intense indigo-blue color, and the female 

 plain grayish-brown. Breeds throughout its United States range. The 

 nest is built in a bush or low shrubby tree, generally in an upright 

 crotch ; it is composed of weed stalks, twigs and coarse grass, and 

 lined with finer material of the same. It is on the whole an inartistic 

 nest for a bird of gay plumage. The eggs are four in number, 

 white, with a bluish or greenish tinge, unspotted or rarely thinly dotted 

 with brown ; average size . 75 x .53. Sometimes the eggs of this species 

 are pure white unmarked. 



599. Passerina amcena (SAY.) [249.] 



Lazuli Bunting. 



Hab. Western United States from the Great Plains to the Pacific; south in winter to Western 

 Mexico. 



The Lazuli Painted Finch is common in Colorado, Arizona, and 

 very abundant in California ; in fact it is generally distributed through- 

 out the west, and along the Pacific Coast is found as far north as Puget 

 Sound during the summer. It replaces the Indigo Bunting from the 

 Plains to the Pacific and is found in all suitable localities. The nest 

 is usually built in a bush or in the lower limbs of trees, a few feet from 

 the ground. It is composed of fine strips of bark, small twigs, grasses, 

 and is lined with hair. 



The eggs are usually four in number, light bluish-green which 

 readily fades when exposed to light; they resemble very closely 

 the eggs of the Bluebird ; some specimens are not distinguishable with 

 certainty; average size, .75 x .58. Sets of these eggs are in my cabinet 

 collected by Mr. R. B. Herron at San Gorgonia Pass, California, be- 

 tween May 4 and June 13, 1883. The sizes of two sets, four eggs each 

 are .76x.55, .77 x .55, .74x .58, .74 x .56; .74 x .53, .75 x .59, -78x.55, 

 .79 x .56. A set of four taken June 10 gives the following dimensions : 

 .81 x .62, .83 x .64, .79 x .62, .83 x .64. 



600. Passerina versicolor (BONAP.) [250.] 



Varied Bunting. 



Hab. Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas, southward into Eastern Mexico. 



This bird is called Purple Painted Finch, Western Nonpareil, 

 Prusiano. It inhabits the region of the Lower Rio Grande in Texas 

 south into Eastern Mexico. Habits and nesting like those of P } 

 amcena. Eggs dull bluish-white ; size .75 x .57. 



