410 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 



molt, and the ad. summer by wearing off of brown margins the following 

 spring. Ad. 9. Upperparts grayish brown; in some specimens more or less 

 blue about the head and rump and lesser wing-coverts; rump inclined to 

 ashy; wings fuscous, the greater and middle coverts tipped with ochraceous- 

 buff; tail fuscous, slightly margined with bluish gray; underparts brownish 

 cream-buff, the feathers of the breast sometimes blue at the base. L., 7'00; 

 W., 3-50; T., 2'75; B., '65. 



Range. E. N. Am. Breeds in Carolinian and Austroriparian faunas 

 from Mo., s. Ills., and Md. s. to e. Tex., and n. Fla.; winters in Yucatan and 

 Honduras; casual in s. Ind. and s. Pa.; accidental in Wise., New England, 

 the Maritime Provinces, and Cuba. 



Washington, very uncommon S. R., May 1-Sept. 20. Cambridge, A. V., 

 one instance, May. 



Nest, of grasses, in bushes or high weedy growths. Eggs, 3-4, pale bluish 

 white, '84 x "65. Date, Chatham Co., Ga., May 14; Raleigh, N. C., June 8. 



"Unless seen under the most favorable circumstances the adult 

 male does not appear to be blue, but of an ill-defined, dusky color, and 

 may easily be mistaken for a Cow Blackbird (Molothrus ater), unless 

 most carefully watched; besides, they usually sit motionless, in a 

 watchful attitude, for a considerable length of time, and thus easily 

 escape observation. 



"The Blue Grosbeak frequents much the same localities as those 

 selected by the Indigo Bird and Field Sparrow, viz., the thickets of 

 shrubs, briers, and tall weeds lining a stream flowing across a meadow 

 or bordering a field, or the similar growth which has sprung up in an 

 old clearing. The usual note is a strong, harsh ptchick, and the song 

 of the male is a very beautiful, though rather feeble, warble, somewhat 

 like that of the Purple Finch, but bearing a slight resemblance also to 

 that of the Rose-breasted Grosbeak" (Ridgway). 



598. Passerina oyanea (Linn.). INDIGO BUNTING. Ad. <? in summer. 

 Rich blue, deeper on the head, brighter on the back; lores blackish; wings 

 and tail black, margined with blue. Ad. <? in winter. Resembles the 9 , but 

 has more or less blue in the plumage. Ad. 9 . Upperparts uniform grayish 

 brown without streaks; wings and tail fuscous, sometimes lightly margined 

 with bluish ; wing-coverts margined with grayish brown ; underparts whitish, 

 washed with grayish brown and indistinctly streaked with darker; belly 

 whiter. Im. Resembles the 9, but is darker. L., 5'59; W., 2*58; T., 2'11; 

 B., -41. 



Remarks. The female of this species is rather a puzzling bird, and may 

 be mistaken for a Sparrow. Its unstreaked back and the slight tinge of blue 

 generally present on the outer web of the wing- and tail-feathers should 

 serve to distinguish it. 



Range-. E. N. Am. Breeds chiefly in Alleghanian and Carolinian 

 faunas e. of the Great Plains from e. cen. N. D., cen. Minn., nw. Mich., 

 s. Ont., s. Que., and s. N. B. s. to cen. Tex., s. La., cen. Ala., and cen. Ga. ; 

 winters from s. Mex., and Cuba to Panama; casual in e. Colo., s. Sask., and 

 s. Man. 



Washington, common S. R., Apl. 29-Oct. 9. Ossining, common S. R., 

 May 4-Oct. 17. Cambridge, common S. R., May 15-Oct. 1. N. Ohio, com- 

 mon S. R., Apl. 26-Oct. 10. Glen Ellyn, fairly common S. R., May 1- 

 Sept. 22. SE. Minn., common S. R., Apl. 28-Oct. 2. 



Nest, of grasses, bits of dead leaves, and strips of bark, lined with fine 

 grasses, rootlets, and long hairs, generally in the crotch of a bush. Eggs, 

 3-4, pale bluish white, '73 x '57. Date, Richmond, Va., May 28; Chester 

 Co., Pa., May 26; Cambridge, June 4; Brooklyn, Ind., May 21. 



