This species, six inches and three quarters in length, is smaller, more rare, and nearly twice as dear as the preceding. It comes from Africa likewise. The beak is red; the feet grey; the upper part of the head is black, but the top is reddish white, which extends over the whole of the under part of the body, the chin, and temples, and even the under part of the tail; sometimes this tint fades into pure white: the upper part of the neck and the back are black, but the feathers are edged with dusky white; the inner wing coverts being white, give the wings the appearance of being so when folded, but they are black, the quill-feathers alone are edged with white; the tail is also black; the two middle feathers terminate in a point, and are two inches longer than the others, which gradually diminish in length the farther they are from the middle, the three first only have the points white, but the two outer ones have the beard white and the edge pale orange. The female is entirely brown, and the tail-feathers are of equal length. This species also moults twice in the year: the male loses its tail for six months, and the white of its plumage becomes less pure. OBSERVATIONS.--This bird requires the same treatment as the former, and sings in the same very agreeable manner. THE SHAFT-TAILED BUNTING. Emberiza regia, LINNÆUS; La Veuve à quatre brins, BUFFON; Der Königsammer, BECHSTEIN. This is also more rare than the Whidah bunting. Its length to the end of the short feathers of the tail is nearly four inches and a half. The beak and feet are red; the upper part of the body black; the sides of the head, the eyes, neck, and under part of the body are orange. The female is brown, and has no long feathers in the tail. The winter plumage of the male is grey, like the linnet, but rather brighter. OBSERVATIONS.--This bird comes from Africa, and is not less admired than the preceding. THE INDIGO BIRD. [Illustration] Emberiza cyanea, LINNÆUS; Fringilla cyanea, WILSON; La Veuve bleue, or le Ministre, BUFFON; Der Indigo Ammer, BECHSTEIN. The length of this bird is five inches. The beak dark lead-coloured; the feet brown; the whole plumage is of the most beautiful blue, deeper and still more brilliant at the top of the head; the great quill-feathers are brown edged with blue; the tail brown, with a pale tint. The female very much resembles the linnet in its colour, as the male does during moulting, for it is only blue when in full feather; but the male may be distinguished easily at all times by the sides of the wings being of a lighter grey than in the female.