BICE BUNTING. 
219 
months, the colours of the plumagfe are complete, and, 
except ill moulting, they are subject to no periodical 
change. 
55. ICTERUS AGRIFENiriS, BOSAPAKTE. 
ESIRERIZA ORTZIFORA, WILSON BICE BUNTING. 
''TILSON, plate XII. FIG. 1. MALE, IN SPRING ; FIG. II. FEMALE. 
Tins is the bohlink of the eastern and northern states, 
and the rice and reed-bird of I'ennsylrania and the 
southern states. Though small in sine, he is not so in 
eonseoiience ; his coming is hailed by the sportsman 
'vith pleasure ; while the careful planter looks upon 
him as a devouring scourge, and worse than a plague 
of loeiists Three good r|ualities, however, entitle him 
to our notice, particularly as these three are rarely 
found in the same individual,- liis Pl«>mige is heau- 
tifnl his song highly musical, and his flesh excellent. I 
mio-ht also add, that the immense range of his migrations, 
and the havoc he commits, are not the least interesting 
parts of his history. . 
The winter residence of this species 1 suppose to be 
from Mexico to the mouth of the Amazon, from whence, 
‘0 hosts innumerahle, he regularly Issues every spring; 
Perhaps to both hemispheres, cxteiiding liis migrations 
northerly, as far as the Illinois, and the shores of the 
St Lawrence. Could the fact he ascertained, uhich 
has been asserted hy some writei's, that the emigration 
of these birds was altogether unknown in this part of 
the continent, previous to the introduction of iicc 
plantations, it would certainly he interesting. Yet 
'vhy should these migrations reach at least a thousand 
miles beyond those places where rice is now planted; 
and thm not in occasional excursions, but regularly to 
breed, and rear their young, where rice never was, 
and nrohahly, never will he cultivated ? Their so 
^oc.;nt arrival on this part of the continent I believe to 
to he altogether imaginary, because, though there were 
