127 



THE PAINTED BUNTING. 



Embcriza Ciris, LINN^EOS ; Le Pape, BOKFON ; Der gemahlte Ammer, BECHSTEIN. 



THIS bird owes its name to its plumage. It is five inches 

 and a half in length, of which the tail measures two. The 

 beak is greyish brown, the iris nut brown ; the feet brown ; 

 the head and neck are violet, the circle round the eyes is red ; 

 the upper part of the back and the scapulars are yellowish 

 green, the lower part, the rump, and all the under part of the 

 body are of a fine red ; the lesser wing-coverts violet brown 

 with a red tinge, the greater of a dull green ; the pen-feathers 

 brown, some bordered with grey, others with red; the tail- 

 feathers are also brown, but the two middle ones are of a 

 changeable red, and the outer border of the others is of the 

 same colour. 



The upper part of the body of the female is of a dull green, 

 the under part yellow green ; her pen-feathers are brown edged 

 with green, as are also the tail-feathers. 



As the plumage of this bird does not come to perfection 

 before the third year, there must naturally be several varie- 

 ties. During the first year the male and female are of the 

 same colour ; the head of the male does not become a violet 

 blue till the second year, and the rest of its plumage is then a 

 blue green, as are also the edges of the quill and tail-feathers, 

 which are elsewhere brown. 



The female at this time is of a fine changeable blue. If to 

 these differences arising from age are added the two moultings 

 which take place every year, we shall not be surprised rarely 

 to meet with two birds alike. There is besides another variety, 

 having the under part of the body yellowish, except a red spot 

 on the breast ; and again another, which in the time of moult- 

 ing is entirely white. 



OBSERVATIONS, These birds are found from the frontiers of Canada to 

 Guiana and Brazil ; none, however, are seen in Carolina less than one 

 hundred and thirty miles from the sea. They only show themselves in 

 summer, and build principally on orange or similar trees. English and 

 Dutch sailors take home many of these birds, and it has been said that in 

 England they have succeeded in making them breed in aviaries in gardens, 

 spacious enough to contain orange trees, on which they have constructed their 

 nests. When in a cage they are fed on millet, canary-seed, endive, and 

 poppy-seed, on which they may be preserved from eight to ten years. Their 

 song is soft and agreeable. 



