PAINTED BUNTING. 359 



Americans TJie Nonpareil. Its gay dress and docility of 

 manners have procured it many admirers ; for these qualities 

 are strongly attractive, and carry their own recommendations 

 always along with them. The low countries of the southern 

 states, in the vicinity of the sea, and along the borders of our 

 large rivers, particularly among the rice plantations, are the 

 favourite haunts of this elegant little bird. A few are seen 

 in North Carolina ; in South Carolina they are more numerous ; 

 and still more so in the lower parts of Georgia. To the west- 

 ward, I first met them at Natchez, on the Mississippi, where 

 they seemed rather scarce. Below Baton Kouge, along the 

 levee, or embankment of the river, they appeared in greater 

 numbers ; and continued to become more common as I 

 approached New Orleans, where they were warbling from 

 almost every fence, and crossing the road before me every 

 few minutes. Their notes very much resemble those of the 

 indigo bird (plate vi. fig. 6), but want the strength and 

 energy of the latter, being more feeble and more concise. 



I found these birds very commonly domesticated in the 

 houses of the French inhabitants of New Orleans ; appearing 

 to be the most common cage bird they have. The negroes 

 often bring them to market, from the neighbouring plan- 

 tations, for sale ; either in cages, taken in traps, or in the 

 nest. A wealthy French planter, who lives on the banks of 

 the Mississippi, a few miles below Bayo Fourche, took me 

 into his garden, which is spacious and magnificent, to show 

 me his aviary ; where, among many of our common birds, I 

 observed several nonpareils, two of which had nests, and were 

 then hatching. 



Were the same attention bestowed on these birds as on 

 the canary, I have no doubt but they would breed with 

 equal facility, and become equally numerous and familiar, 

 while the richness of their plumage might compensate for 

 their inferiority of song. Many of them have been transported 

 to Europe ; and I think I have somewhere read, that in 

 Holland attempts have been made to breed them, and with 



