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GENUS SPIZA — BONAP. 



PAINTED BUNTING. 



[Bill short, stout, conical — upper mandible declinate at the tip, slightly notched; 

 nostrils roundish, partially concealed by feathers ; head of moderate size ; neck 

 short ; body rather full ; wings and tail of moderate length, the latter eraargin- 

 ate.] 



SPIZA CYANEA— WILSON. 

 INDIGO PAINTED BUNTING. 



Indigo Bird, Fringilla cyanea, Wils. Amer. Orn. 



Fringilla cyanea, Bonap. Syn. 



Indigo Bird,Nutt. Man. 



Indigc Bird, Fringilla cyanea, Aud. Orn. Biog. 



Specific Character — A black line on the under part of the lower 

 mandible, extending its entire length. Adult male blue, tinged with 

 verdigris green ; quills and tail feathers dusky, edged with green- 

 ish blue. Female yellowish-brown above, paler beneath. Length 

 five inches and a quarter, wing two and a half. 



In almost all our birds, the plumage of the male is brighter than 

 that of the female, but there is not in general so great a discrepancy 

 as in the, present species. The male Indigo Bird is rendered con- 

 spicuous by its rich blue livery, while the female, more humbly at- 

 tired in plain yellowish-brown, is scarcely noticeable. Not only are 

 the males of almost every species more gaily dressed, but with our 

 singing birds they also excel in song. It has frequently occurred 

 to me, that Nature, who does nothing without a cause, has, for the 

 safety of the females, rendered them less attractive. The male, 

 excelling both in plumage and song, is more sought after as a mat- 



