THE RICE BUNTING. 75 ^ 



the song becomes less freqent. Sometimes the female is 

 inclined to have a second brood, for which preparation is made 

 while she is yet engaged in rearing the first; but the male 

 generally loses his musical talent about the first week in July ; 

 from which time, or perhaps earlier, his spring or pied dress 

 begins gradually to be laid aside for the more humble brownish- 

 black and brownish-yellow garb of the female, the whole, both 

 old and young, then appearing nearly in the same songless 

 livery, uttering only a chink of alarm when surprised. 



When the voice of the male begins to fail, with the progress 

 of the exhausting moult, he flits over the fields in a restless 

 manner, and merely utters a broken 'boVlee 'bobHee, or with his 

 songless mate, at length, a 'weet 'weet, Vleet Vleet, or a noisy and 

 disagreeable cackling chirp. But at the early dawn of day, 

 while the tuneful talent of the species is yet unabated, the 

 effect of their awakening and faultering voices, jingling 

 throughout the wide expanse of meadows is singular and 

 grand. These sounds mingle like the noise of a distant torrent, 

 which alternately subsides and rises on the breeze, as the 

 performers awake or relapse into rest; finally, they become 

 more distinct and tumultuous, till, with the opening day, they 

 assume the intelligible character of their ordinary song. 



From the varied and changing plumage of this pleasing, and 

 in some respects ludicrous bird, as well as for the singularity 

 of his song, he is eagerly sought after by fanciers, and usually 

 commands a fair price. Large numbers are annually captured 

 in the Northen States in trap cages and fed, almost immediately 

 after which, they resume their song. Many are purchased and 

 carried to Europe, often to the disappointment of the adven- 

 turer, in regard to his profits, as, by the time they reach their 

 destination, they change their livery and cease to sing. 



FOOD AND MANAGEMENT. 



The food of the rice buntings varies according to the season 

 and locality in which they reside. Although on their early 

 arrival at the north it consists of grubs, worms, caterpillars, 



