Although these local forma are readily distinguished, it is my intention to unite the 

 five former under the Eastern species C. virginianus, and the two latter under the North- 

 western species C. igneus. 



I am of opinion that a great deal more attention should be paid to the age, and 

 especially the constitution of the wild bird, before an accurate estimate can be made of 

 the extent to which it will vary. 



To attempt to reproduce all that lias been written on the vocal 

 powers and habits of the Virginian Nightingale, would, I fear, lead to a 

 vast amount of repetition, which it is my intention to avoid, by giving 

 only the life history of this beautiful songster. 



The Virginian Nightingale may be placed amongst the earliest cage- 

 birds that ever left the shores of North America ; its brilliant plumage 

 and song combined, make it one of the most conspicuous objects 

 throughout the swamp-and forest land of the Southern States. These 

 two great qualities might have been the destruction of this much eulogized 

 swamp-loving bird, had it not been for the vast territory which it occupies, 

 for not only the natives but travellers to that country, do their utmost to 

 procure it dead or alive. The skins were used ages ago by the natives like 

 those of many other birds to adorn their head dresses and garments, for 

 they, like the inhabitants of other parts of the world have great taste for 

 sho-ny colours, in this way the poor Virginian Nightingale has been a 

 persecuted bird in its native haunts from the time of Columbus to the 

 present day. 



From a careful study of the localities in which this species has been 

 obtained, and a calculation of the square miles, I find that the distribution 

 from North to South and East to West covers about 3,698,000 or nearly 

 4,000,000 square miles, in this area, the bird becomes very variable in 

 size and colour, the more southern forms being the smaller and richer 

 coloured, while the northern are larger and paler. 



Mr. Eidgway in a letter to me on the subject remarks, " you will 

 observe that the difference between these two geographical races is most 

 obvious in the females. Indeed this is the case with all the climatic or 

 local forms into which the species is " split up," Cardinalis cardinalis 



