48 



RICE BUNTING. 

 EMBERIZA ORYZIVORA. 

 [Plate XII.— Figs. 1 and 2.] 



Emberiza oryzivora, Linn. Syst. p. 311, 16. — Le Ortolan de la Caroline, Briss. Onz. Ill, 

 p. 282, 8, 15,/^. 3. P/. e-w/. 388, l—VAgripenne, ou DOrtolan de Biz. Buff. 

 Ois. W,p. 537.— Bice-bird, Catesb. CarA, pL U.—Ei)w.pl. 2.— Latham II, /?. 188, 

 jVb. 25.— Peale's Museum, JVo. 6026. 



THIS is the Boblink of the eastern and northern states, and 

 the Rice and Reed-bird of Pennsylvania and the southern states. 

 Tho small in size, he is not so in consequence; his coming is hailed 

 by the sportsman with pleasure ; while the careful planter looks 

 upon him as a devouring scourge, and worse than a plague of lo- 

 custs. Three good qualities, however, entitle him to our notice, 

 particularly as these three are rarely found in the same individual; 

 — his plumage is beautiful, his song highly musical, and his flesh 

 excellent. I might also add, that the immense range of his mi- 

 grations, and the havock he commits are not the least interesting 

 parts of his history. 



The winter residence of this species I suppose to be from 

 Mexico to the mouth of the Amazon, from whence in hosts innu- 

 merable he regularly issues every spring, perhaps to both hemi- 

 spheres, extending his migrations northerly as far as the banks of 

 the Illinois and the shores of the St. Lawrence. Could the fact be 

 ascertained, which has been asserted by some writers, that the 

 emigration of these birds was altogether unknown in this part of 

 the continent, previous to the introduction of rice plantations, it 

 would certainly be interesting. Yet, why should these migrations 

 reach at least a thousand miles beyond those places where rice is 



