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CHAPTEE XII. 



REED BIRD; OR RICE BUNTING. EMBERIZA ORYZIVORA. 



THEIR HISTORY AND NOMENCLATURE. 



This delicate little Bird is well known throughout the whole 

 extent of our country, and is also a winter visitant to the West 

 India Islands. In no quarter of its rambles, however, is its 

 coming hailed with more delight than in the neighborhood of 

 Philadelphia, In the Eastern and Northern States it is called 

 Bobolink, from the peculiar note which it almost incessantly 

 emits, whether it be flying, or perched upon the tops of the 

 bending reeds. In Pennsylvania, they are known only as Eeed 

 Birds ; in Carolina, they are styled Kice Buntings ; and in Loui- 

 siana, Meadow Birds. 



" The Kice Bunting is seven inches and a half long, and 

 eleven and a half in extent. His spring dress is as follows : 

 upper part of the head, wings, tail, and sides of the neck, and 

 whole lower parts, black ; the feathers frequently skirted with 

 brownish-yellow, as he passes into the colors of the female ; 

 back of the head a cream color; back black, seamed with 



