Avicnltural Experiences. 
103 
Avicultural Experiences. 
By R. Suggitt. 
C oiitinued from page gj. 
As there are some Nonpareils and Indigos now offered 
for sale, those of our members who have had no experience 
with them may gather a few useful hints from my experiences. 
Indigo Bunting ( Cyanospiza cyanea). I received my 
first Indigo from Luer, London, in June 1904. It died shortly 
after the moult. 
I liave found the Indigo Bunting to be even a more 
difficult subject than its near relative the Nonpareil. In addi- 
tion to the seed diet a sui^jjly of live insects daily is indispens- 
able; without the latter the Indigo will rapidly " go light '" and 
die miserably. The moult is a very critical period. 
The male Indigo in breeding plumage is roughly cobalt 
blue throughout, wings and tail brownish. The female is 
smaller than the male, and resembles the hen linnet in plumage 
without the penciling of the latter. Unlike the male Nonpareil, 
the Indigo has distinct seasonal changes of plumage. In 
winter the plumage is brown like that of the female, but tinged 
with blue. 
Staple food : Canary seed. Indian and white millet is also 
eaten; live insects, such as spiders, plant lice, in addition to 
mealworms, a little soft food and green food in the shape of 
flowering grass and chickweed is appreciated. 
The song is sweet, but short, and is often sung on warm 
moonlight nights. The hens of both the Indigo and Nonpareil 
appear to be much stronger than the cocks. 
In June 1907, Mr. Sutcliffe and myself received three true 
pairs from Mexico. I put one pair into the aviary; Mr. 
Sutcliffe took one pair and I kept the third pair in my birdroom; 
the male of the pair I put out (a very fine specimen) proved to 
be very tyranical with the other birds and T was obliged to 
remove him and substitute the male out of the birdroom. 
This one was peaceable but died soon after his moult. 
On March 3rd, 1908, I received five more cocks. 
T passed the hen. which had been out during 1907, on to 
Mr. Sutcliffe, and on March 30th, 1908 exchanged the others. 
