204 RICE B UNTING. 



But in the States south of Maryland, the harvest of early 

 wheat and barley in spring, and the numerous plantations of 

 rice in fall, suffer severely. Early in October, or as soon 

 as the nights begin to set in cold, they disappear from 

 Pennsylvania, directing their course to the south. At this 

 time they swarm among the rice fields ; and appear in the 

 island of Cuba in immense numbers, in search of the same 

 delicious grain. About the middle of October, they visit the 

 island of Jamaica in equal numbers, where they are called 

 butter birds. They feed on the seed of the guinea grass, and 

 are also in high esteem there for the table.* 



Thus it appears, that the regions north of the fortieth 

 degree of latitude are the breeding places of these birds ; 

 that their migrations northerly are performed from March to 

 May, and their return southerly from August to November ; 

 their precise winter quarters, or farthest retreat southerly, is 

 not exactly known. 



The rice bunting is seven inches and a half long, and 

 eleven and a half in extent; his spring dress is as follows : — 

 Upper part of the head, wings, tail, and sides of the neck, and 

 whole lower parts, black ; the feathers frequently skirted with 

 brownish yellow, as he passes into the colours of the female ; 

 back of the head, a cream colour; back, black, seamed with 

 brownish yellow ; scapulars, pure white ; rump and tail- 

 coverts the same; lower part of the back, bluish white; tail, 

 formed like those of the woodpecker genus, and often used 

 in the same manner, being thrown in to support it while 

 ascending the stalks of the reed ; this habit of throwing in the 

 tail it retains even in the cage; legs, a brownish flesh colour; 

 hind heel, very long ; bill, a bluish horn colour ; eye, hazel ; 

 see fig. 1. In the month of June this plumage gradually 

 changes to a brownish yellow, like that of the female, fig. 2, 

 which has the back streaked with brownish black ; whole 

 lower parts, dull yellow; bill, reddish flesh colour; legs and 

 eyes as in the male. The young birds retain the dress of the 

 * Kennel's Hist. Jam. 



