PAINTED BUNTING. 
201 
I found these birds very commonly domesticated in the houses 
of the French inhabitants of New Orleans 5 appearing to be the 
most common cage bird they have. The negroes often bring 
them to market from the neighbouring plantations, for sale; 
either in cages, taken in traps, or in the nest. A wealthy French 
planter, who lives on the banks of the Mississippi, a few miles 
below Bayo Fourche, took me into his garden, which is spacious 
and magnificent, to show me his aviary; where, among many 
of our common birds, I observed several Nonpareils, two of 
which had nests, and were then hatching. 
Were the same attention bestowed on these birds as on the 
Canary, I have no doubt but they would breed with equal facility, 
and become equally numerous and familiar, while the richness 
of their plumage might compensate for their inferiority of song. 
Many of them have been transported to Europe; and I think I 
have somewhere read that in Holland attempts have been made 
to breed them and with success. When the employments of the 
people of the United States become more sedentary, like those 
of Europe, the innocent and agreeable amusement of keeping 
and rearing birds in this manner, will become more general 
than it is at present, and their manners better known. And 1 
cannot but think, that an intercourse with these little innocent 
warblers is favourable to delicacy of feeling, and sentiments of 
humanity; for I have observed the rudest and most savage soft- 
ened into benevolence while contemplating the interesting man- 
ners of these inoffensive little creatures. 
Six of these birds, which I brought with me from New Orleans 
by sea, soon became reconciled to the cage. In good weather 
the males sung with great sprightliness, though they had been 
caught only a few days before my departure. They were 
greedily fond of flies, which accompanied us in great numbers 
during the whole voyage; and many of the passengers amused 
themselves with catching these and giving them to the Nonpa- 
reils; till at length the birds became so well acquainted with 
this amusement, that as soon as they perceived any of the peo- 
ple attempting to catch flies, they assembled at the front of the 
VOL. II. — c c 
