* t 
152 Mr. Peabody on the 
garden, where, from the tops of trees, from roofs, 
and chimneys and lightning rods, we hear his sweet 
lisping song, which at first is exceedingly pent 
but at length wearies the ear by its perpetual rt 
tion throughout the summer day. The rich b 
which gives this bird its name, belongs exclusively a 
the male; the female and the young wear plau 
flaxen fedis The young males of the first year 
have a little blue in their buff-colored plumage; this 
increases as the bird grows, and it is not till the third 
` year that it acquires the azure with green reflections, 
at 
tot ^ 
» which makes the mature bird so ornamental to the — 
village scenery. It is sometimes difficult | et 
mine whether it is blue of green, so rapi dl d yes it 
change in different lights, as it glances i in tie Be 1 
The nest of the indigo-bird is usually in a low 
bush, sometimes in vines; in the former case, it is 
suspended between two twigs. 'The outside is com- 
posed of coarse grass and withered leaves ; the lining 
is of grass and hair. ` The eggs are greenish white 
and unspotted, according to Nuttall; Wilson says; 
blue, with a purple blotch at the eii end ; Audu- 
bon says, “with a blotch or two of purple.” Asto 
these singular discrepancies, I have already remarked, 
that this part of the subject is greatly in want of at- 
tention. 
The Wurrr-crownep Sparrow, Fringilla leuco- 
phrys, is one of the finest of this family of birds. It 
is seen here but very rarely, on its way to the north 
in the spring. Audubon describes its nest, which 
he found in Labrador, and speaks of its notes as very 
plaintive and sweet. 
