330 NESTS AND EGGS OF 



ly about or on the larger ends ; some are so thickly marked as to 

 almost conceal the ground color. The specimens generally consid- 

 ered handsomest are those with a greenish-white ground heavily and 

 distinctly blotched with reddish-brown. Some of the smaller eggs 

 and more finely dotted ones resemble very closely those of the Cow- 

 bird. Mr. Ragsdale has an egg of this species with a large chocolate 

 blotch covering one-fourth of the shell. The eggs are three or four in 

 number.* Eight eggs (two nests of four each) measure respectively: 

 .98X.71, .93X.73, 1.02 X. 74, 1.06X.74, . 98 X. 77, 1.00X.75, i.oi X.76, 1.03 

 X.78; average i.oox.73. 



593a. Cardinalis cardinalis superbus Ridgw. [242a, /«r/.] 



Arizona Cardinal. 



Hab. Southern Arizona and Western Mexico. 



A bird very similar to C. cardijtalis but larger, and the female 

 more richly colored. Its general habits, nesting and eggs are not in 

 anywise distinguishable from those of the Redbird of the Eastern 

 States. 



593^. Cardinalis cardinalis igneus (Baird) \2^2a,part.'\ 



Saint Iiucas Cardinal. 



Hab. Lower California. 



A smaller bird than superbus and called Fiery-red Cardinal as its 

 specific name implies, but is not any more so than cardinalis^ and its 

 habits, nests and eggs are the same. 



594. Pyrrhuloxia sinnata Bonap. [243.] 



Texan Cardinal. 



Hab. Northern Mexico and Southern border of the United States — Southern Texas to Southern 

 Arizona and Lower California. 



This species inhabits the southern border of the United States. 

 Dr. Merrill found it abundant at times at Fort Brown, Texas, particu- 

 larly in the Spring. Mr. Sennett records it as tolerably common at 

 Lomita and a probable resident in that region along with the Virginia 

 Cardinal, and breeds fully as early. There is, he states, little difference 

 between the habits of the two Cardinals, but the Texan is more con- 

 fined to open and exposed situations near settlements, and is always 

 shy and suspicious, so that he rarely came upon it unawares. The nest 

 is built in thickets, sometimes in isolated bushes, from three to eight 

 feet above the ground, and is said to be very much smaller than that 

 of C. cardinalis. The materials are bark strips, twigs and dry grasses. 

 The eggs are usually four in number and resemble those of C. cardi- 

 nalis except in their smaller size, averaging .92 x .73. Mr. G. B. Benners 

 gives the sizes of a set of four eggs which he obtained on the Rio 

 Grande, April 21, as follows: .87X.69, .87X.69, .89X.69, .85X.67. 



* There are a number of sets of five eggs of the Cardinal on record but I have never seen or taken that 

 number from a single nest myself. Sets of three are as common as those of four. 



