SPECIES 3. EMBERIZA ORYZIVORA. 
RICE BUNTING. , 
[Plate XII. — Figs. 1 and 2.] 
Emberiza oryzivora, Linn. Syst. j). 311, 16. — Le Ortolan de la 
Caroline, Briss. Orn. iii, p. 282, 8, pi. 15, fig. 3. PL Enl. 388, 
fig. 1. — L'Jlgripenne, ou U Ortolan de liiz. Buff. Ois. iv, p. 
337. — Rice-bird, Catesb. Car. i,pl. 14. — Ewd. pi. 2. — Latham 
II, 188, JVo. 25. — Peale’s Museum, •N'o. 6026. 
This is the Bohlink of the eastern and northern states, and 
the Rice and Reed-bird of Pennsylvania and the southern states. . 
Though small in size, he is not so in consequence; his coming is 
hailed by the sportsman with pleasure; while the careful planter 
looks upon him as a devouring scourge, and worse than a plague 
of locusts. Three good qualities, however, entitle him to our no- 
tice, particularly as these three are rarely found in the same in- 
dividual; — his plumage is beautiful, his song highly musical, 
and his flesh excellent. I might 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 I suppose to be from 
Mexico to the mouth of the Amazon, from whence in hosts innu- 
merable he regularly issues every spring, perhaps to both hemi- 
spheres, extending his migrations northerly as far as the banks 
of the Illinois and the shores of the St. Lawrence. Could the 
fact be ascertained, which has been asserted by some writers, 
that the emigration of these birds was altogether unknown in this 
part of the continent, previous to the introduction of rice plan- 
tations, it would certainly be interesting. Yet, why should these 
migrations reach at least a thousand miles beyond those places 
where rice is now planted; and this not in occasional excursions, 
