280 PAINTED FINCH. 



ence of value on each individual, which converted the sixpence paid for 

 it at New Orleang to three guineas in London. 



The pugnacious habits of this species are common in a great degree 

 to the whole family of Sparrows. Like the most daring, the Common 

 House Sparrow of Europe, they may be observed in spring time, in little 

 groups of four, five or six, fighting together, moving round each other to 

 secure an advantageous position, pecking and pulling at each other's 

 feathers Avith all the violence and animosity to which their small degree 

 of strength can give effect. 



A group thus occupied I have attempted to represent in the plate. I 

 have at the same time endeavoured to save you the trouble of reading a 

 long description of the changes which take place in their plumage, from 

 the time at which the young leave the nest, until the fourth year follow- 

 ing, when the males attain the full beauty of their brilliant livery. 

 Where in fact would be the necessity of telling you more, than that the 

 young, during the first summer, are similar in colouring to the female ; 

 that the next spring, the head of the males only has become of a hand- 

 some blue ; that, the spring following, the same bird is mottled more or 

 less with azure, carmine, yellow and green ; and that it requires another 

 return of the warm season before all these colours are perfected and ren- 

 dered permanent ; when at a single glance you can determine all this at 

 once. Long descriptions of this kind are only fit to be read to the blind. 

 Colours speak for themselves. 



The flight of the Pape, by which name the Creoles of Louisiana 

 know this bird best, is short, although regular, and performed by a nearly 

 constant motion of the wings, which is rendered necessary by their con- 

 cave form. It hops on the ground, moving forward with ease, now and 

 then jetting out the tail a little, and, like a true Sparrow, picking up and 

 carrying off on wing a grain of rice or a crumb of bread to some dis- 

 tance, where it may eat in more security. It has a sprightly song, often 

 repeated, which it continues even when closely confined. When the bird 

 is at hberty, this song is uttered from the top branches of an orange- 

 tree, or those of a common briar, and although not so sonorous as that of 

 the Canary, or of its nearer relative, the Indigo Bunting, is not far from 

 equalling either. Its song is continued during the greatest heats of the 

 day, which is also the case with that of the Indigo Bird. 



The nest of this pretty bird is generally placed in a low situation, in 

 an orange-tree, frequently within a few paces of the house, or far from it 



