100 
INDIGO BIRD. 
INDIGO BIRD. — FRINGILLA CYANEA — Plate VI. Fig. 5. 
Tanagra cyanea, Linn. Syst. i. 315. — Le Ministre, Buff. iv. 86. — Indigo Bunting, 
Arct. Zool. ii. No. 235. — Lath. Synop. iii. 205, 63 Blue Linnet, Edw. 273 
Peak's Museum , No. 6002 Linaria cyanea, Bart. p. 290. 
FRINGILLA CYANEA Wilson. 
Fringilla cyanea, Bonap. Synop. * p. 107. 
This is another of those rich plumaged tribes that visit us 
in spring from the regions of the south. It arrives in Penn- 
sylvania on the second week in May, and disappears about the 
middle of September. It is numerous in all the settled parts 
of the middle and eastern states ; in the Carolinas and Georgia 
it is also abundant. Though Catesby says that it is only 
found at a great distance from the sea, yet round the city of 
New York, and in many places along the shores of New 
Jersey, I have met with them in plenty. I may also add, on 
the authority of Mr William Bartram, that 66 they inhabit the 
continent and sea-coast islands, from Mexico to Nova Scotia, 
from the sea-coast west beyond the Apalachian and Cherokee 
mountains.” f They are also known in Mexico, where they 
probably winter. Its favourite haunts, while with us, are 
about gardens, fields of deep clover, the borders of woods, and 
road sides, where it is frequently seen perched on the fences. 
In its manners, it is extremely active and neat, and a vigorous 
and pretty good songster. It mounts to the highest tops of a 
large tree, and chants for half an hour at a time. Its song is 
not one continued strain, but a repetition of short notes, com- 
mencing loud and rapid, and falling, by almost imperceptible 
gradations, for six or eight seconds, till they seem hardly 
articulate, as if the little minstrel were quite exhausted ; and, 
after a pause of half a minute, or less, commences again as 
before. Some of our birds sing only in spring, and then 
* By a letter from my friend, Mr Swainson, I am informed that the Prince 
of Musignano intends to form a genus of this bird ; I have therefore provi- 
sionally added its present name, not wishing to interfere where I am acquainted 
with the intentions of another. It appears to range with the Tanagrince . — Ed. 
f Travels , p. 299. 
