146 NEW-YORK FAUNA BIRDS. 



This beautiful but shy and solitary bird is a southern species. It has been rarely observed 

 as far north as Pennsylvania and New-Jersey ; in which latter State, Audubon once detected 

 its nest. I think it highly probable that it will be found to breed in this State ; for Mr. Ben- 

 jamin Moore killed the specimen which has furnished me with the preceding description and 

 figure, on the 15ih May, 1838, on Manhattan island, a few miles from the city. Its food 

 consists of rice and seeds, and kernels of ihe hardest kinds. It breeds from Texas to 

 New-York, and has been observed on the Rocky mountains. 



THE ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK. 



CoCCOBORTJS LUDOVICIANUS. 

 PLATE LX1V. FIG. 147. 



(STATE COLLECTION.) 



Loxia ludoviciana. LlNNJEUS, p. 306. 



Red-breasted Grosbeik. Pennant, Arc!. Zool. Vol. 2, p. 350. 



Spoiled do. Id. Vol. 2, p. 3.00 (female), and p. 372. 



Loxia rosea (ludnviciana). Wll.sON, Am Orn. Vol. 2, p. 135, pi. 17, fig. 2 (male). 



Frmgilla ( Coccothraustes ) ludovicmna. Bonaparte, Ann. Lye. N. Y. Vol. 2, p. 113. 



Pyrrhulaid. Sabine, Franklin's Journey. 



F. id. Bonaparte, Am. Orn. Vol. 2, p. 79, pi. 15, fig. 2 (female). Audubon, fol. pi. 127. Nuttall, Man. Orn. 



Vol. 1, p 527. 

 Coccothraustes (Giuraca) id. Rich. & Swainson, F. B. A. Vol. 2. p. 271. Kirtland, Zool. Ohio, p. 184. Pea- 

 body, Birds of Mass. p. 329. 

 Coccoborus id. Audubon, B. of A. Vol. 3, p. 209, pi. 205. 

 C. id. j Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Giraud, Birds of Long island, p. 133. 



Characteristics. Black. Breast and under wing-coverts rosaceous. Abdomen, rump, 

 bands on the wings, and part of three outer tail-feathers while. Female 

 and young, pale brown ; beneath lighter : three white bands on the 

 head : no rose-color. Length, 8 inches. 



Description. Upper mandible with obsolete furrows ; the tip superficially notched. Tail 

 slightly emarginate and rounded. 



Color. Head and upper parts black. Breast and under wing-coverts rose-colored : in 

 front, this rose-color often descends down the centre of the abdomen. The posterior portion 

 of the back, two bands on the wings, base of the quills, tips of the secondaries, and the 

 terminal half of the inner webs of the outer tail-feathers white. Female and young, dusky 

 olive brown : a white line over the summit of the head ; another over the eye, and one be- 

 neath. Centre of the breast and under wing-coverts flaxen yellow. Beneath greyish white, 

 spotted with brown more particularly on the breast and flanks. 



Length, 7-5-8-5. Alar extent, 12-5 -13-0. 



I have noticed this beautiful species in the western and atlantic districts of this State, where 

 it breeds. Its eggs are from four to five, white spotted with brown. Its food consists of 

 grain, berries and insects. Its observed geographical range is from Texas to 56° north lati- 

 tude. It appears in its northern migration to avoid the Southern States bordering on the sea 

 coast, and extends across the continent. 



