Iliriil
T H E INDIGO BUNTING,*
Cyanospiza cyanca, LINN.
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r p H I S Bunting inhabits the Eastern United States, extending in tlie winter
- L tlirongliout Central America to Panama, tlie Baliamas, Coznmel, and adjacent
islands. The general colour of the adnlt cock in breeding plumage is greenish
cobalt blue, tinged with ultramarine on the head, throat, and middle of breast; the
wing feathers are dark brown, slightly bluish on their outer edges: length 5
inches; beak brownish black, bluish beneath, legs dark brown, iris dark browTi.
In the winter the plumage above is rufous brown and below ochraceous brown,
whiter on the throat and abdomen, the wings and tail as in the summer, but thé
coverts edged with rufous brown. The change to summer plumage is gained by
a moult of the winter feathering, not by abrasion of the tips of the feathers.
The hen above is dark brown, slightly reddish on the head and back; the
feathers of the mantle with dark centres; median and greater wing courts
blackish, with brown edges, the extremities margined with whitish ; flight feathers
and primary coverts smoky brown with pale bluish outer edges; the inner
secondaries with brown margins; tail feathers smoky brown with bluish edges;
lores dull white; cheeks and ear-coverts pale reddish brown; throat and body
below dull white, reddish bro^vn at the sides; with some dark brown streaks on
the throat, chest and sides of breast; axillaries and under wing coverts buff with
dusky centres; C[uills dusky below, greyish along the inner webs. Length inches.
Both this and the Nonpareil Bunting have been called the "Painted Finch";
but the first name ever given to C. cyanea, viz.—"Blew Linnet" is by far thé
most appropriate, in spite of the fact that it is a Bunting. However, as many
other birds have to put up with inappropriate trivial names, I suppose' the fact
that there is no indigo in the colouring of C. cyanea need not be considered:
fortunately, in the case of the "Ultramarine Finch" which is of an indigo hue,
we are able to drop the misnomer.
• The Blue Grosbeak is cdled "Indigo Fiucli" by Sclatcr and H^idson in tlidr -ArgeuHne Ornithology." !
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