THE RICE BUNTING. 
75 
the song becomes less freqent. Sometimes the female is 
inclined to have a second brood, for which preparation is made 
while she is yet engaged in rearing the first; but the male 
generally loses his musical talent about the first week in July; 
from which time, or perhaps earlier, his spring or pied dress 
begins gradually to be laid aside for the more humble brownish- 
black and brownish-yellow garb of the female, the whole, both 
old and young, then appearing nearly in the same songless 
livery, uttering only a chink of alarm when surprised. 
When the voice of the male begins to fail, with the progress 
of the exhausting moult, he flits over the fields in a restless 
manner, and merely utters a broken ’boFlee 5 boFlee , or with his 
songless mate, at length, a ’wed ’ weet , Fleet Fleet , or a noisy and 
disagreeable cackling chirp. But at the early dawn of day, 
while the tuneful talent of the species is yet unabated, the 
effect of their awakening and faultering voices, jingling 
throughout the wide expanse of meadows is singular and 
grand. These sounds mingle like the noise of a distant torrent, 
which alternately subsides and rises on the breeze, as the 
performers awake or relapse into rest; finally, they become 
more distinct and tumultuous, till, with the opening day, they 
assume the intelligible character of their ordinary song. 
From the varied and changing plumage of this pleasing, and 
in some respects ludicrous bird, as well as for the singularity 
of his song, he is eagerly sought after by fanciers, and usually 
commands a fair price. Large numbers are annually captured 
in the Northen States in trap cages and fed, almost immediately 
after which, they resume their song. Many are purchased and 
carried to Europe, often to the disappointment of the adven¬ 
turer, in regard to his profits, as, by the time they reach their 
destination, they change their livery and cease to sing. 
FOOD AND MANAGEMENT 
The food of the rice buntings varies according to the season 
and locality in which they reside. Although on their early 
arrival at the north it consists of grubs, worms, caterpillars, 
