INDIGO BUNTING. 97 



The Indigo-bird arrives in the Southern States from the direction of 

 Mexico, along with its relative the Painted Finch, and is caught in trap- 

 cages, but with more difficulty than the latter bird. It spreads far and wide 

 over the United States, extending from the borders of our Atlantic shores 

 to those of our great lakes. It is not a forest bird, but prefers the skirts of 

 the woods, the little detached thickets in and along the fields, the meadows, 

 the gardens, and orchards, and is frequently seen hopping along, or perched 

 on a fence, from which it does not disdain to send forth its pretty little 

 song. The highest top of a detached tree is, however, preferred for this 

 purpose, and the Indigo-bird is to be observed perched on this pinnacle, 

 singing at short intervals for half an hour at a time. Its song is at first loud 

 and clear, falling in cadences to a very low key. The whole consists of 

 eight or ten notes. The bird now and then launches into the air, to cross a 

 field, and sings until it has espied a favourite spot amongst the clover, when 

 it immediately becomes silent and dives to the ground. The whole of this 

 parade is performed by the male, which is alone to be seen, the female at 

 this season keeping amongst the grass or the briars along the fields, where 

 her humble plumage hides her in a great measure from observation. Some 

 persons have thought that this practice was changed towards the latter part 

 of summer, when, by a casual observer, only the females are to be seen. 

 The true reason of this, however, is, that the young birds of both sexes 

 resemble the mother during the first season. 



The Indigo-bird is an active and lively little fellow, possesses much 

 elegance in his shape, and also a certain degree of firmness in his make, 

 which renders him equally a favourite with the Painted Finch, although he 

 does not possess the variegated plumage of the latter. When the male of 

 the species now before you is in full plumage, the richness of his apparel 

 cannot fail to attract and please the eye of any observer. It is highly glossy, 

 and changes from the brightest azure to green, when placed in a strong light. 

 It requires three years to attain this perfect state. The female continues in 

 the same very humble vesture which nature first accorded to her. The 

 males, in the first spring, and not unfrequently during the first autumn, are 

 mottled with dull light blue, interspersed among the original deep buff of 

 their earlier stage. The blue increases in extent, and acquires a deeper tint, 

 as the age of the bird advances. I have often seen males two years old 

 which were still much inferior in the beauty of their plumage to those which 

 had passed through three springs. Should the birds be caught when in full 

 plumage, they gradually lose their brilliant tints, which at length become 

 extremely dull. A similar alteration is observed to take place in Painted 

 Finches which have been kept in cages for a certain period, as well as in the 



Vol. III. 16 



