PAINTED BUNTING. 



69 



most common cage bird they have. The negroes often bring them 

 to market from the neighbom^ing plantations, 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 magnifi- 

 cent, to shew 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 some- 

 where read that in Holland attempts have been made to breed 

 them and with success. When the employments of the people of 

 the United States become more sedentary, like those of Europe, 

 the innocent and agreeable amusement of keeping and rearing 

 birds in this manner, will become more general than it is at pre- 

 sent, and their manners better known. And I cannot but think, 

 that an intercourse with these little innocent warblers is favorable 

 to delicacy of feeling, and sentiments of humanity; for I have ob- 

 served the rudest and most savage softened into benevolence while 

 contemplating the interesting manners of these inoffensive little 

 creatures. 



Six of these birds, which I brought with me from New Orleans 

 by sea, soon became reconciled to the cage. In good weather the 

 males sung with great sprightliness, tho they had been caught only 

 a few days before my departure. They were greedily fond of flies, 

 which accompanied us in great numbers during the whole voyage; 

 and many of the passengers amused themselves with catching these 

 and giving them to the Nonpareils ; till at length the birds be- 

 came so well acquainted with this amusement, that as soon as they 

 perceived any of the people attempting to catch flies, they assem- 



VOL. III. s 



