66 THE OABDINAL BIRD 



of the forest in America, and the cultivated fields of Eng* 

 land; because it is a well-known fact, that singing birdfl 

 seldom frequent the former in any country. But let 

 the latter places be compared with the like situations in 

 the United States, and the superiority of song, I am fully 

 persuaded, would justly belong to the western continent. 

 The few of our song birds that have visited Europe extort 

 admiration from the best judges. " The notes of the Car- 

 dinal Grosbeak," says Latham, " are almost equal to those 

 of the nightingale." Yet these notes, clear and excellent 

 as they are, are far inferior to those of the wood thrush, 

 and even to those of the brown thrush, or thrasher. Our 

 inimitable mocking bird is also acknowledged, by them- 

 selves, to be fully equal to the song of the nightin^e, " in 

 its whole compass." Yet these are not one tenth of the 

 number of our singing birds. Could these people be trans- 

 ported to the borders of our woods and settlements, in the 

 moftth of May, about half an hour before sunrise, such a 

 ravishing concert would greet their ear as they have no con- 

 ception of. 



The males of the Cardinal Grosbeak, when confined 

 together in a cage, fight violently. On placing a looking- 

 glass before the cage, the gesticulations of the tenant are 

 truly laughable : yet with this he soon becomes so well 

 acquainted, that, in a short time, he takes no notice what- 

 ever of it I a pretty good proof that he has discovered the 

 cause of the appearance to proceed from himself Thoy 



