88 THE SECOND BOOK OF BIRDS 
breast in the West is the BLack-HEADED Gros- 
BEAK. He is reddish brown and black, with the 
same color and lemon yellow on the under parts, 
and yellow under the wings, instead of rose like 
the Eastern bird. He is a loud, enthusiastic 
singer. Miss Merriam says of him that his song 
to his mate is finer than that of any other bird 
she has heard. 
The CarpinaL GROSBEAK, cardinal redbird, 
Virginia nightingale, or redbird, as he is called 
in different places, is of the third group of this 
family. He is found all over the Southern States, 
and as far north as Southern New England and 
New York. He isa brilliant red to the tip of 
his beak, with a beautiful crest and black throat 
and face. His mate is in soft dove colors, with 
red beak, and reddish tints on her quiet robe. 
Both of the pair are singers. He is much the 
louder, but she has the sweeter song. He is 
famous as a singer, and is therefore trapped and 
caught in great numbers for cages. In Europe, 
where he is a favorite cage-bird, he 1s thought; 
by many to be equal to the famous nightingale 
as a singer. 
In Ohio, a few years ago, a law was made that 
no cardinal should be caged, and those in cages 
should be set free. In one small village were 
