314: FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 



Remarks. The female of this species is rather a puzzling bird, and may be 

 mistaken for a Sparrow. Its unstreaked back and the slight tinge of blue 

 generally present on the outer web of the wing- and tail-feathers should serve 

 to distinguish it 



Range. Eastern United States ; breeds as far north as Minnesota and 

 Nova Scotia; winters in Central America. 



m Washington, common S. R., Apl. 28 to Oct. 15. Sing Sing, common S. K., 

 May 4 to Oct. 17. Cambridge, rather common S. R., May 15 to Sept. 25. 



Nest, of grasses, bits of dead leaves, and strips of bark, lined with fine 

 grasses, rootlet*, and long hairs, generally in the crotch of a bush near the 

 ground. Eggs, three to four, pale bluish white, -78 x -57. 



In walking among clumps of bushes in clearings or old pastures. 

 look sharp if a small brown bird flies before you, especially if she calls 

 cheep and twitches her tail nervously from side to side. Though she 

 be a sparrowy-looking bird, look well to her shoulders and tail. If you 

 discover a glint of blue and her cries call her mate, you will ever after 

 be a more trustworthy observer for his brilliant coat is unmistakable. 



Having made sure of your birds, watch them to their nest a com- 

 pactly made cup too cleverly hidden in the dense green thicket to be 

 easily discovered. The color of the eggs will again test your accuracy 

 of observation ; in varying lights they look green, blue, and white. 



The female Indigo is so suspicious that it is hard not to be vexed 

 with her, but the primary virtues of an observer are conscientiousness 

 and patience ; so take your hard cases as a means of grace. 



However distrustful the poor mother bird is, her mate's cheery song 

 makes up for it all. After most birds have stopped singing for the 

 year, his merry voice still gladdens the long August days. 



I well remember watching one Indigo-bird who, day after day, used 

 to fly to the lowest limb of a high tree and sing his way up from 

 branch to branch, bursting into jubilant song when he reached tho 

 topmost bough. I watched him climb as high into the air as he could, 

 when, against a background of blue sky and rolling white clouds, the 

 blessed little songster broke out into the blithest round that ever bub- 

 bled up from a glad heart. FLORENCE A. MEEEIAM. 



The VARIED BUNTING (600. Passerina versicolor), a species of our Mexican 

 border, has been once recorded from Michigan. 



601. Passerina ciris (Linn.). PAINTED BUNTING; NONPAREIL. 

 Ad. S . Head and sides of the neck indigo-blue ; back golden green ; rump 

 dull red ; under parts bright red ; wings and tail tinged with dull red ; greater 

 wing-coverts green. Ad. 9. Upper parts bright olive-green; under parts 

 white, washed with greenish yellow ; wings and tail fuscous, margined with 

 olive-green. L., 5-25 ; W., 2-70 ; T., 2-15 ; B., -42. 



Range. Breeds from the Gulf States northward to Kansas, southern Illi- 

 nois, and North Carolina ; winters in the tropics. 



