174 
NEW-YORK FAUNA — BIRDS. 
Color. Sky-blue, showing in some lights a greenish tint; the outer webs of the primaries 
whitish. Quills, larger wing-coverts and tail dark brown. Autumnal male, bluish with 
brown patches: obsolete bands across the tail. In moulting, the male resembles more or 
less the female. Female: lower mandible light-colored; chin, throat and breast buff; belly 
and vent soiled white ; wings and tail darker than the light yellowish brown above. 
Length, 5’5-6’0. Alar spread, 7'0-8‘0. 
The Indigo-bird is one of our most beautiful visiters from the South. It leaves Mexico 
and appears in Texas in April, and in New-York in the latter part of May, where it breeds. 
The nest is usually on some low bush, with white immaculate eggs. Its food consists of 
caterpillars, worms, grasshoppers and seeds. The male is three years in acquiring his full 
plumage. The species occurs throughout the whole Union, extending to the great lakes and 
to the 45th parallel. It leaves New-York about the middle of September. 
(. EXTRA-LIMITAL.) 
S. ciris. (Aud. B. of Am. Vol. 3, pi. 169.) Red. Head and back above purplish blue; back yellowish 
green; wings dusky red. Female and yearling male, green olive; wings beneath yellowish. 
Length, 5 inches. Carolina, Louisiana. 
S. amcena. (Id. ib. Vol. 3, pL 171.) Verdigris blue; beneath white. Breast pale ferruginous; wings 
bifasciate with white. Female, brown above; rump greenish blue; throat ferruginous. Length, 
5 - 5. Columbia river. 
