GROSBEAKS 439 



bushes and similar locations at heights of four to ten feet from 

 the ground were selected as nesting sites. 



The nests are built of wiry twigs, fibrous strips of bark, 

 lined with smaller wiry twigs, grass stems and rootlets, the 

 structure being frail and rather loose. A selected nest measures 

 two inches in depth outside by one and a quarter inside, while 

 the diameter is four and a quarter outside by two and a half 

 inside. A nest which was sent me from Olathe, Kansas, was 

 taken May 18, 1896, from a hedge, and was situated four 

 feet from the ground. It was composed of a foundation of 

 paper and corn leaves, lined with clover stems and fine grass. 

 The three eggs it contained measure 0.93 x 0.70, 0.94 x 0.70, 

 0.95 X 0.70. Three or four eggs are usually laid, and there 

 are several varying types of markings. The ground color is 

 white or bluish white. Some eggs are very finely dotted or 

 evenly spotted all over with grayish brown, cinnamon brown 

 or umber, and another type is blotched with large chocolate 

 blotches or with grayish brown, chiefly about the larger ends, 

 and between these extremes are various intermediate styles. 



The food consists of various grubs, worms, beetles, seed, 

 fruits and berries. It is reported that the male helps in feed- 

 ing the female while incubating and also in taking charge of 

 the young when a second brood is being hatched by his mate. 

 Olive Thorne Miller attempts to describe the song of the 

 Cardinal as follows : — " He is a famous singer, his song being 

 a loud, clear whistle, into which enters quite frequently the 

 sound of q!q!q! and a peculiar long drawn out e-e! some- 

 times syllabled as "three cheers!" (B. E. N. A. p. 311.) 



Genus ZAMELODIA Coues. 



595. Zamelodia ludoviciana. (Linn.). Rose-breasted Gros- 

 beak ; Throat-cut. 



Plumage of adult male : upper breast and under wing coverts rose red ; 

 head, throat, wings, tail and back black ; outer tail feathers white on inner 

 web, and primary wing feathers white at base ; rump white toward back, 



