THE AMERICAN RED BIRD. 



MERICAN RED BIRDS are 

 among our most common 

 cage birds, and are very gen- 

 erally known in Europe, 

 numbers of them having 

 been carried over both to France and 

 England. Their notes are varied and 

 musical ; many of them resembling the 

 high notes of a fife, and are nearly as 

 loud. They are in song from March 

 to September, beginning at the first 

 appearance of dawn and repeating 

 successively twenty or thirty times, 

 and with little intermission, a favorite 

 strain. 



The sprightly figure and gaudy 

 plumage of the Red Bird, his vivacity, 

 strength of voice, and actual variety of 

 note, and the little expense with which 

 he is kept, will ahvays make him. a 

 favorite. 



This species is more niimerous to 

 the east of the great range of the Alle- 

 ghanies, but is found in Pennsylvania 

 and Ohio, and is numerous in the 

 lower parts of the Southern States. In 

 January and February they have been 

 found along the roadsides and fences, 

 hovering together in half dozens, 

 associating with snow birds, and var- 

 ious kinds of sparrows. In the north- 

 ern states they are migratory, and in 



the southern part of Pennsylvania they 

 reside during the whole year, frequent- 

 ing the borders of rivulets, in sheltered 

 hollows, covered with holly, laurel, 

 and other evergreens. They love also 

 to reside in the vicinity of fields of 

 Indian corn, a grain that constitutes 

 their chief and favorite food. The 

 seeds of apples, cherries, and other 

 fruit are also eaten by them, and they 

 are accused of destroying bees. 



Early in May the Red Bird begins to 

 prepare his nest, which is very often 

 fixed in a holly, cedar or laurel bush. A 

 pair of Red Birds in Ohio returned for a 

 number of years to build their nest in 

 a honeysuckle vine under a portico. 

 They were never disturbed and never 

 failed to rear a brood of young. The 

 nest was constructed of small twigs, 

 dry weeds, slips of vine bark, and lined 

 with stalks of fine grass. Four eggs 

 of brownish olive were laid, and they 

 usually raised two broods in a season. 



In confinement they fade in color, 

 but if well cared for, will live to a con- 

 siderable age. They are generally 

 known by the names : Red Bird, Vir- 

 ginia Red Bird, Virginia Nightingale, 

 and Crested Red Bird. It is said that 

 the female often sings nearly as well 

 as the male. 



THE REDBIRDS. 



Two Redbirds came in early May, 

 Flashing like rubies on the way ; 

 Their joyous notes awoke the day, 

 And made all nature glad and gay. 



Thrice welcome ! crested visitants ; 

 Thou doest well to seek our haunts ; 

 The bounteous vine, by thee possessed, 

 From prying eyes shall keep thy nest. 



Sing to us in the early dawn ; 

 'Tis then thy scarlet throats have drawn 

 Refreshing draughts from drops of dew, 

 The enchanting concert to renew. 



No plaintive notes, we ween, are thine ; 

 They gurgle like a royal wine ; 

 They cheer, rejoice, they quite outshine 

 Thy neighbor's voice, tho' it's divine. 



Free as the circumambient air 



Do thou remain, a perfect pair. 



To come once more when Proserpine 



Shall swell the buds of tree and vine. 



— C. C. M. 

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