23. CARDINALIS. 161 



b". Facial mask entirely black cocaneits, p. 163. 



b'. No black mask on the face; lores and Vigneus,-^- 161. 



chin ashy whitish \ superbus, p. 165. 



d. Bill blackish horn-colour phceniceus, p. 166. 



The red Cardinals offer an instance, not very common among 

 birds, of a genus wherein the males are all nearly alike, and the 

 specific characters depend upon the female sex. The ordinary species 

 of America, 0. cardinalis, is the typical form, and the others can 

 hardly be considered worthy of more than suhspecific rank, as in 

 the males the difference consists in intensity of colour and a slight 

 variation in size. Those from more tropical localities appear to 

 want the grey margins to the feathers, which are always observ- 

 able in 0. cardinalis, according to American writers, though I 



Head of Cardinalis cardinalis. 



suspect that they are entirely lost in summer, when the feathers 

 become abraded, and it is then that an exact comparison of the males 

 should be made. There can be no question, however, about the dif- 

 ference of the females, as set forth in the " Key." 



1. Cardinalis cardinalis. 



The Eed Bird, Cateshj, Nat. Hist. Carol, i. pi. 38 (1731). 

 The Eed Grosbeak, Albin, Nat. Hist. B. i. p. 55, pi. 57 (1738). 

 The Hen Grosbeak from Virginia, Albin, N. H. B. hi. p. 57, pi. 01 



(1740). 

 Le Grosbec de Virginie dit vulgairement le Cardinal kupe, Briss. 



Orn. hi. p. 253 (1760) ; Daubent. PI. Mil. iv. pi. 37. 

 Loxia cardinalis, Linn. Si/st. Nut. i. p. 300 (1766) ; Gin. Sust. Nat. 



i. p. 847 (1788) ; Wils. Amer. Orn. ii. p. 38, pi. xi. figs. 1, 2 



(1810). 

 Loxia rubra, Scop. Ann. i. p. 139 (1760). 

 Le Cardinal hupe - , Buff. Hist. Nat. Ois. iii. p. 458 (1775). 

 Cardinal Grosbeak, Lath. Gen. Syn. ii. pt. 1, p. 118 (1783). 

 vol. in. M 



