CARDINAL GROSBEAK, OR RED-BIRD. 523 



and in a sinking, delicately plaintive tone. These phras- 

 es were also answered in sympathy by the female, at a 

 little distance up the meandering brook where they were 

 engaged in collecting their food. In Florida, about the 

 12th of March, I heard a very fine Red Bird singing hvhlttoo 

 wittoo icidoo ■wirkloo. He began low, almost in a whisper, 

 but very clearly articulated, and gradually raised his voice 

 to loudness, in the manner of the Nightingale. He now 

 changed the strain into ^victu, wilt loilt Zcilt wilt ; then 

 ^victu, tshooe 'tshdoc tshdoe tshdoe, afterwards tu til 'victu, 

 and victu tu tu, then varying Hsiiooee, &lc. in a lower key. 

 On approaching this bird, to see and hear him more dis- 

 tinctly, he exhibited his anger, by scolding in a hoarse 

 tone almost like that of a squirrel, and from the season, 

 and absence of respondence in the female, I imagine he 

 already had a nest in the neighbouring thicket. The 

 bird which frequented the Botanic Garden for several 

 days, in the morning sang fearlessly and loudly, but at 

 other times the pair hid themselves amongst the thickest 

 bushes, or descended to the ground to feed among the 

 grass and collect insects and worms ; now and then, 

 however, in an under-tone, as if afraid of attracting no- 

 tice, he whispered to his mate, ten tea teu, woit 'wait ^icuit^ 

 elevating his tone of recognition a little at the close of 

 the call, and going over other of the usual phrases in the 

 same whispering and slenderly rising voice. About the 

 4th of July, the same pair, apparently, paid us a parting 

 visit, and the male sung with great energy, '^y' tw\ hceto 

 'weto hoeto ^weto 'weto icait, then waitup woitup waitup wai~ 

 tup, tshoio tshoio tshow tshoiu tshoio. On whistling any of 

 these notes within hearing of the Cardinal, a response is 

 almost certain, as this affectionate recognition is fre- 

 quently answered by the female. His phrase may also 

 be altered at will, by whistling some other than that 



