THE BRAZILIAN CARDINAL. 



The Brazilian Cardinal is one of the beautiful 

 whistling birds of the tropics, and is justly admired 

 as a cage-bird. The back is dark gray, the quill- 

 feathers of the wings are of a darker shade of the 

 same color, and the tail is nearly black ; the head, 

 crest, cheeks, and throat are bright red of an orange 

 hue, deepest on the chest, where it ends in a point ; 

 the lower part of the body is grayish white, and the 

 feet and legs are black ; the strong beak is dusky 

 gray ; the crest is pointed like that of the Virginia 

 nightingale, and is raised and depressed at pleasure. 

 His brilliant scarlet head forms a beautiful contrast 

 with the snowy white of his body. In addition to 

 his beautiful plumage, he is also gifted with powers 

 of song. If fed upon unhulled rice and canary-seed, 

 and given plenty of bathing water, he will live many 

 years in confinement. 



