162 



COW BUNTING. 



their singularity are worthy of notice. He spreads his wings, swells 

 his body into a globular form, bristling every feather in the man- 

 ner of a turkey cock, and with great seeming difficulty utters a few 

 low, spluttering notes, as if proceeding from his belly; always, on 

 these occasions, strutting in front of the spectator with great conse- 

 quential affectation. 



To see the Red-bird, who is himself so excellent a performer, 

 silently listening to all this guttural splutter, reminds me of the 

 great Handel contemplating a wretched cat-gut scraper. Perhaps, 

 however, these may be meant for the notes of love and gratitude, 

 which are sweeter to the ear, and dearer to the heart, than all the 

 artificial solos or concertos on this side heaven. 



The length of this species is seven inches, breadth eleven 

 inches ; the head and neck is of a very deep silky drab ; the upper 

 part of the breast a dark changeable violet; the rest of the bird is 

 black, with a considerable gloss of green when exposed to a good 

 light; the form of the bill is faithfully represented in the plate; it 

 is evidently that of an Emberiza; the tail is slightly forked; legs 

 and claws glossy black, strong and muscular; iris of the eye dark 

 hazel. Catesby says of this bird, " it is all over of a brown color, 

 " and something lighter below;" a description that applies only to 

 the female, and has been repeated, in nearly the same words, by 

 almost all succeeding ornithologists. The young male birds are 

 at first altogether brown, and for a month, or more, are naked of 

 feathers round the eye and mouth; the breast is also spotted like 

 that of a Thrush, with light drab and darker streaks. In about 

 two months after they leave the nest, the black commences at the 

 shoulders of the wings, and gradually increases along each side, as 

 the young feathers come out, until the bird appears mottled on 

 the back and breast with deep black, and light drab. At three 

 months the colors of the plumage are complete, and, except in 

 moulting are subject to no periodical change. 



