THE RICE-BUNTING, OR REED-BIRD. 



EMBERIZA ORYZIVOKA. 



Description. " The rice-bunting is seven and 

 a half inches long, and eleven and a half in extent. 

 His spring dress is as follows : Upper part of 

 the head, wings, tail, and sides of the neck, and 

 whole lower parts black ; the feathers frequently 

 skirted with brownish yellow, as he passes into 

 the colors of the female ; back of the head, a 

 cream color ; back, black, seamed with brown- 

 ish yellow; scapulars pure white; rump and 

 tail coverts the same ; lower part of the back, 

 bluish white ; tail, formed like those of the wood- 

 pecker genus, and often used in the same man- 

 ner, being thrown in to support it while ascend- 

 ing the stalks of the reed ; this habit of throwing 

 in the tail it retains even in the cage ; legs, a 

 brownish flesh color ; hind heel, very long; bill, 

 a bluish horn color; eye, hazel. In the month 

 of June this plumage gradually changes to a 

 brownish yellow, like that of the female, which 

 has the back streaked with brownish black; 



