238 
FRINGILLA CYANEA. 
acute, the colour is green, when ohtuse, blue. Such> ^ 
think, I have observed to he uniformly the case, with' 
out being optician enongli to explain why it is 
From this, however, must be excepted the colour of 
head, which, being of a very deep blue, is not aifec^*"’ 
by a change of position. . 
The nest of this bird is usually built in a low bus^ 
among rank grass, grain, or clover, suspended by t" 
twigs. One passing up each side ; and is composed 
wardly of flax, and lined with fine dry grass. 
eggs, generally five, are blue, with a blotch of purpl® ** 
the great end. 
The indigo bird is five inches long, and seven im'h 
in extent ; the whole body is of a rich sky blue, <1^?^ 
ening on the head to an ultramarine, with a tiu||® ? 
purple ; the blue on the body, tail, and wings, varies • 
particular lights to a light green, or verdigris col®** ' 
similar to that on the breast of a peacock ; wings, *>1**^2 
edged with light blue, and becoming brownish toW^’T 
the tips ; lesser coverts, light blue ; greater, hlae ' 
broadly skirted with the same blue ; tail, black, eS‘ , 
riorly edged with blue ; bill, black above, whitish bele’’’ 
somewhat larger in proportion than finches of the sa^' 
size usually are, but less than those of the genus r'"" j 
riza, with which Mr Pennant has classed it, thoughi 
think, improperly, as the bird has much more of 
form and manners of the genus friiigilla, where I 
he permitted to place it ; legs and feet, blackish bro"^ 
The female is of a light flaxen colour, with the 
dusky black, and the cheeks, breast, and whole 1®" 
;ol®'' 
wit" 
parts, a clay colour, with streaks of a darker col®'^ 
under the wings, and tinged in several 
places . 
bluish. Towards fall, the male, while moulting, beco*? j 
nearly of the colour of the female, and in one whi‘' . 
kept through the winter, the rich blue plumage did 
return for more than two months ; though I doubt u j, 
had the bird enjoyed his liberty and natural food 
a warm sun, this brownuess would have been of shof 
duration. The usual food of this species is insects 
various kinds of seeds. 
