102 



INDIGO-BIRD. 



tent ; the whole body is of a rich sky-blue, deepening on the head 

 to an ultramarine, with a tinge of purple; the blue on the body, 

 tail, and wings, varies in particular lights to a light green, or ver- 

 digris color, similar to that on the breast of a peacock; wings 

 black, edged with light blue, and becoming brownish towards the 

 tips ; lesser coverts light blue ; greater black, broadly skirted with 

 the same blue ; tail black, exteriorly edged with blue ; bill black 

 above, whitish below, somewhat larger in proportion than Finches 

 of the same size usually are, but less than those of the genus Em- 

 beriza, with which Mr. Pennant has classed it, tho I think impro- 

 perly, as the bird has much more of the form and manners of the 

 genus Fringilla, where I must be permitted to place it; legs and feet 

 blackish brown. The female is of a light flaxen color, with the 

 wings dusky black, and the cheeks, breast and whole lower parts 

 a clay color, with streaks of a darker color under the wings, and 

 tinged in several places with bluish. Towards Fall the male while 

 moulting becomes nearly of the color of the female, and in one 

 which I kept thro the winter, the rich blue plumage did not return 

 for more than two months ; tho I doubt not had the bird enjoyed 

 his liberty and natural food under a warm sun this brownness would 

 have been of shorter duration. The usual food of this species is 

 insects and various kinds of seeds. 



