IG ZOOLOGY. 



feather, except the two middle ones, being Blightly tipped on the inner margin of the point with white. Lower parts white witli 

 ongiuiiliniil spots of dark brown covering the tides, Hanks, and breast. A moustache of small brown spots from angle of lower 

 mandible, running down the neck and joining in with those of the breast. A line over the eye of rusty white. Auriculars light 

 brown. The young male in the fall resembles the female, but takes on the livery of the adult the following spring. 



This bird was first observed on approaching the Pimos villages, associated with large flocks 

 of sparrows, gleaning grain and grass seed from the ground. When started it would fly but a 

 short distance before again resuming its occupation. After crossing the San Pedro river I found 

 it iu large flocks, having killed fourteen at one shot. At Fort Fillmore, in Mesilla valley, it is 

 quite common, and associates with the cow-bird and black-bird, searching for grain amongst 

 the stable ofi'als. Again I met it in Texas during the month of April, having seen, however, 

 but one male bird in full sjiring plumage, the others still retaining their winter coat or only 

 commencing to take on their spring livery. While travelling some years ago towards the 

 Eocky mountains, I found it quite abundant on the Platte river. The male bird is often seen 

 rising in the air with a tremulous fluttering motion of the wings, very much after the manner 

 of our reed bird, (DoUchonyx oryzivora,) singing the while, and until again alighting, a discon- 

 nected but not unmusical chant. The nest, placed on the ground, is formed of fine grasses 

 lined with hair, and contains four to five pale blue eggs. Although I found many of them, in 

 one instance only Avere they spotted with faint red dashes. 



PYKRHULOXIA SINUATA, Bonap .— Texian Cardinal Bird. 



Ctiritinalis siniiatus, Bon. Proceed. Zool. Soc. of London, 1837, p. 111. — Cassis's B. of Cal. and Tex. p. 204, pi. 33. 

 I'yrrhuloxia sinuata, Baird, Gen. Rep. IX, 1858, 508. 



Sp. Ch. — Male. — General color of upper parts dark ash. Throat, breast, thighs, under wing coverts, and the centre of 

 abdomen down to vent, light bright carmine, deeper on the throat. Sides of abdomen and flanks slaty gray. An elongated 

 crest front, around, and under the eyes; primaries and upper part of tail bright rich brownish red, the two central tail feathers 

 having a slight green reflection, while the edges and tips of the tertiaries and the lips of the primaries are tinted with brown ash. 

 Under part of tail brighter than upper part, with a reflection of grayish lead and tipped with lead colur. Bill yellow, the upper 

 one having a dusky tinge. Feet flesh color. Length 8 inches. 



Female. — Chin dusky white. Under parts down to vent rusty ash, darker on flanks and sides. Around the eyes, at base of 

 upper mandible, an indistinct blotch, on upper part of throat and another at middle of abdomen, pale carmine. Crest smaller 

 than the male. In its other markings and colorings like the male. 



This species in its form and habits is closely allied to the Cardinals, but the formation of 

 the bill diff'ers so much in the two that Bonaparte has jjlaced it in the sub-genus Fyrrhuhxia. 

 Instead of, as in the Cardinal, the nearly equal mandibles, the culmen slightly rounded and 

 arched to the tip, which is acute, we find in this species the lower mandible much broader and 

 larger, the gonys rising very abruptly and the culmen very much rounded and arched as in the 

 genus I'yrrJmla. We met the first specimen of this bird in a dry canon a little to the cast of 

 tlie crossing of San Pedro river, perched on a bush, and seeming wearied and lost ; probably a 

 wanderer, as no more were observed until we reached El Paso. Here we found it everywhere 

 among the hedges and trees, and continued to see it occasionally on our road until we left 

 civilization behind us. It is said to be quite common on the Eio Grande and in Mexico. Raising 

 its crest erect as it moves actively about in search of food, it emits at intervals a clear plaintive 

 whistle, varied by a few detached notes. 



