THE INDIGO BUNTTNG*
CyanospirM •cyauia, LlNN.
• ' " p i i iS Bunting- inhabits tlic Eastern Uuited States, extending in the iviuter
liii-ongliout Central America to Panama, the Bahamas, Cozumel,-and adjacent
!-ianvl,s. The general colour of the adult cock in breeding ptemage is greenish
coijial blue, tinged with ultramarine on the head, throat, and ntiikiiE of breast; the
v 'l".,: leathers are darli brown, slightl}' bluish on their outer ed^s: length 5
' i S beak brownish black, bluish beneath, legs dark brown, in« durk brown.
> winter the phtmage above is rixfous broW and below ociiSLssuus brown,
- I : \ I R on the throat and abdomen, the wings and tail as in the SILU±I&-I-, but tht:
^ i edged with rufous br'.wii. Tic change to summer plumage is gained by
i:ioii.! of the wdnter feathering, n.;« by abrasion of the tips of the fest-tiets.
Tlie hen above is dark brown, slightly reddish on the head and W:,i±,
feaiJici-s of the mantle with dark centres; median- and greater ^virs; 'ro^.-wts
blackish, v.ntb. browu edges, the extremities margined with •'.vhitish: liijiU fiitchers
and primary coverts smoky bro-srai w4th pjile bluish outer edges; the inner
secondaries with brown margins; tail feathers smoky brown with bhtisli edges;
lores dull \\'lute; cheeks and ear-coverts pale reddish browu; throat and body
below dull white, reddish browu at the sides; with some dark brown streaks on
the throat, chest and sides of breast; axillaries and under wing coverts buff \rit!!
dusky centres; quills dusky below, greyish along the inner webs. Length 4,;, itiiics.
Both this and the Nonpareil Bunting have been called the "Hnted Fiwh"";
but the first name ever given to C. oww«?, viz.—"Blew Linnet" is by far the
most appropriate, in spite of the fact that it is a Bunting. However, as tmuiy
other birds have to put tip with inappropriate • tri^tf. names, I suppose the fact
that there is no, indigo in the colouring of C. cyanea need not be
fortunatciy, in the case of the "Ultramarine Finch" which is of an • a.„e,
wc are able to drop the misnomer.
' Til..: jiiat Gijsl.fak is called -IntUg» Fincir' by ScUttir anil H'.uisn:, in their -Argatfim ' • . •-'¡'v. •
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