THE INDIGO BIRD 



Emberiza cyanea, LINNAJUS ; Fringilla cyanca, WILSON ; La Veuve bleue, ou 

 le Ministre, BUFFON ; Der Indigo Ammer, BECHSTEIN. 



THE length of this bird is five inches. The beak dark lead- 

 coloured ; the feet brown ; the whole plumage is of the most 

 beautiful blue, deeper and still more brilliant at the top of the 

 head ; the great quill-feathers are brown edged with blue ; the 

 tail brown, with a pale tint. 



The female very much resembles the linnet in its colour, as 

 the male does during moulting, for it is only blue when in full 

 feather ; but the male may be distinguished easily at all times 

 by the sides of the wings being of a lighter grey than in the 

 female. 



OBSERVATIONS. This species is most commonly found in Carolina, but 

 is not rare about New York, where it arrives the beginning of April. It 

 frequents the orchards when they are in bloom, and appears to prefer 

 mountainous parts. Its agreeable song, which very much resembles that 

 of the linnet, and the beauty of its plumage, render it a favourite with 

 bird-fanciers. Its food is canary seed, millet, poppy seed, and bruised 

 hemp seed. 



