Nests in Trees, Bushes, or Vines 



Adult ? — Upper parts grayish brown, tinged more or less with 

 blue ; under parts creamy brown. Length — 7.00. 



Breeding Range — Y^xom southern Newjersey and southern Illinois, 

 southward. 



The nest is composed of leaves, plant stems, and some- 

 times a piece of snake skin, and is lined with fine roots and hair. 

 It is placed in bushes or vines, usually from five to thirty feet 

 from the ground. 3 to 4 pale bluish eggs, rarely spotted with 

 reddish brown, are laid. Size — .84 x .d^. 



These rather rare birds frequent scrubby ground and thickets, 

 where they commence nesting in May. 



598. Indigo-bird; Indigo Bunting: Passerina cyanea 



(Linn.) 



Adult fj — Intense blue on the head ; other parts rather lighter. 

 Adult ? — Upper parts plain brownish ; under parts grayish, the 



breast bemg indistinctly streaked. Length — 5.59. 

 Breeding Range — Thioughout the Eastern States. 



The nest is composed of grass, leaves, downy seeds, and 

 fine roots, lined with fine grass and hair. It is usually near the 

 ground (sometimes within one foot), in a low bush or weeds ; if 

 in a bush, it is placed in a crotch ; if in weeds, such as the Joe- 

 pye weed, nettle, or others of a similar nature, it is hung from 

 the stems, with practically no support from beneath. 3 to 4 

 white eggs are laid ; they are slightly tinged with blue and rarely 

 marked with fine dots. Size — .75 x .ss. 



While the male Indigo-bird perches on the telegraph pole — • 

 a blue spot against a blue sky — and sings throughout the summer 

 day, his sparrow-like mate is attending to her household duties 

 in the scrub below. She attracts no attention ; her dusky colour 

 and quiet manner will never draw any person to her carefully 

 hidden nest. During the tedious duties of incubation she is 

 visited repeatedly by her mate, but he goes to and from the nest 

 in such an erratic manner that it is most difficult to follow him. 

 The nest, which is not at all a neat structure, requires from two 

 to four days to build. The eggs hatch after ten days of incuba- 

 tion, and in a surprisingly short time the young are ready to leave 

 the nest and hide themselves in the tangle of vines and bushes. 



150 



