BIRDS — FEINGILLIDAE — CARDINALIS VIRGINIANUS. 509 



The essential characters of this genus are the crested head ; very large and thick bill extend- 

 ing far back on the forehead, and only moderately curved above ; tarsus longer than middle 

 toe ; much graduated wings, the first primary equal to the secondary quills ; the long tail 

 exceeding the wings, broad and much graduated at the end. 



CAEDINALIS VIRGINIANUS, Bo nap. 



Red Bird; Cardinal. 



Coccothraiistes virginiana, Brisson, Orn. Ill, 1760, 253. 



Loxia cardinalis, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 300.— Wilson, Am. Orn. II, 1810, 38 ; pi. vi, f. 1, 2. 



Coccothraiistes cardinalis, Vieill. Diet. 



Fringitla (Coccotliraustes) cardinalis, Bon. Obs. Wils. 1825, No. 79. 



Fringilla cardinalis, Nutt. Man, I, 1832, 519.— Aud. Orn. Biog. II, 1834, 336 : V, 514 -, pi. 159. 



Pilylus cardinalis. Add. Syn. 1839, 131.— Is. Birds Amer. Hi, 1841, 198 ; pi. 2U3. 



Cardinalis virginianus, Bon. List, 1838. — Ib Consp. 1850, 501. 



Grosbec de Virginie, Bdff. Pl.enl. 37. 



Sp. Cii.^A flattened crest of feathers on the crown. Bill red. Body generally bright vermilion red, darker on the back, 

 rump, and tail. Narrow band around the base of the bill, with chin and upper part of the throat black. 



Female of a duller red, and this only on tlie wings, tail, and elongated feathers of the crown. Above light olive; tinged 

 with yellowish on the head ; beneath brownish yellow, darkest on the sides and across the breast. Black about the head only 

 faintly indicated. 



Length, 8.50 ; wing, 3.75 ; tail, 4.50. 



Hub. — More southern portions of the United Slates to the Missouri. Probably along valley of Rio Grande to Rocky moun- 

 tains. 



The bill of this species is very large and shaped much like that of Guiraca ludoviciana. 

 The central feathers of the crest of the crown are longer than the lateral ; they spring from 

 about the middle of the crown and extend back about an inch and a half from the base of the 

 bill. The wings are much rounded, the fourth longest, the second equal to the seventh, the 

 first as long as the secondaries. The tail is long, truncate at the end, but graduated on the 

 sides ; the feathers are broad to the end, truncated obliquely at the end. 



Some males, probably immature, have the vermilion replaced by a pale rose color, the back 

 strongly tinged with olivaceous. 



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