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GENUS PITYLUS — CUVIER 



CARDINAL. 



[Bill short, higher than broad, tapering, robust, slightly notched — nostrils 

 covered with the frontlet feathers, bristles at the base — head furnished with long 

 erect feathers — neck short — wings of moderate length, rounded — tail long, much 

 founded — tarsi rather short — toes moderate — claws rather slender — hind toe and 

 claw stoutest.] 



PITYLUS CARDINALIS— LINN. 



CARDINAL GROSBEAK. ' 



Cardinal Grosbeak, Loxia cardinalis, Wils. Amer. Orn. 

 Fringillacardinalis, Bonap. Syn. 



Cardinal Grosbeak, or Red Bird, Fringilla cardinalis, Nutt. Man. 

 Cardinal Grosbeak, Fringillacardinalis, Aud. Orn. Biog. 



Specific Character — Head crested ; loral space, a band round the. 

 bill and the throat black. Adult male with the g-eneral plumage 

 vermilion, upper parts rather duller ; the webs of the quills brown; 

 bill red ; loral space, a band round the base of the bill, and the 

 throat black ; tail long and rounded. Female with a slighter crest ; 

 upper parts deeply tinged with olive, the lower grayish-yellow ; 

 rest parts much duller than the male. Length eight inches and a 

 half, wing three and three quarters. 



This species, more abundant in the Southern States, is with us a 

 regular summer visiter. It generally keeps among the low bushes, 

 though occasionally its loud and varied notes are delivered from 

 the higher branches. It frequents the borders of streams, as well 

 as the gardens and corn-fields, the latter supplying it with a large 

 portion of its subsistence. It is taken in trap-cages, and continues 

 its song during confinement, and with proper care will live many 

 years, but does not retain the brilliant color so much admired when 

 pving through its native haunts. 



