128 Birds Every Child Should Know 
finest voice possessed by any bird in the great 
sparrow tribe. But it is when the singer is in 
love that the song reaches its highest ecstasy. 
Then he springs into the air just as the yellow- 
breasted chat, the oven-bird, and woodcock do 
when they go a-wooing, and sings excitedly 
while mounting fifteen or twenty feet above 
his mate until he drops exhausted at her side. 
INDIGO BUNTING 
Called also: Indigo-bird. 
Every child knows the bluebird, possibly the 
kingfisher and the blue jay, too, but there is 
only one other bird with blue feathers, the little 
indigo bunting, who is no larger than your pet 
canary, that you are ever likely to meet unless 
you live in the Southwest where the blue gros- 
beak might be your neighbour. If, by chance, 
you should see a little lady indigo-bird you 
would probably say contemptuously: “Another 
tiresome sparrow,'’ and go on your way, not 
noticing the faint glint of blue in her wings and 
tail. Otherwise her puzzling plumage is de- 
cidedly sparrowy, although unstreaked. So is 
that of her immature sons. But her husband 
will be instantly recognised because he is the 
only very small bird who wears a suit of 
deep, rich blue with verdigris-green reflections 
