1554 THE PERCHING BIRDS 



and we may not catch another glimpse of her nor of her mate, even though we 

 hear them both anxiously consulting together at a little distance. The nest is not 

 such an elegant affair as might be desired; it is in fact bulky and rude, if not 

 actually slovenly. It is formed entirely of the long, slender, tortuous stems of 

 woody climbers and similar stout rootlets; the base and outer walls being very 

 loosely interlaced, the inner more compactly woven, with a tolerably firm brim of 

 circularly disposed fibres. Sometimes there is a little horsehair lining, oftener not. 

 The eggs are of a light and rather pale green color, profusely speckled with dull 

 reddish brown." The summer range of this grosbeak extends to Labrador. The 

 general color of the adult male is black above; the lower back and rump being pure 

 white, slightly mottled with black tips; the wings black, with the secondaries tipped 

 with white; the tail feathers black, the three outer ones marked with white, on the 

 inner web; the crown of the head, lores, the sides of the neck, and throat are black; 

 the fore-neck and chest are beautiful with a large patch of rose color, extending in 

 a line down the centre of the breast; the breast and flanks are white, the thighs 

 spotted with black; and the under wing coverts rose color. This beautiful dress is 

 only gradually assumed, three years being needed for the assumption of the perfect 

 adult male plumage. 



The red cardinals have the bill very large and stout, pointed, and 

 conical; the wings very short and rounded, and the tail longer than 

 the wings, and rounded; while a long crest is present. They offer an instance, not 

 very common among birds, of a group in which the males are nearly all alike, so- 

 that the specific characteristics depend upon the females. There can, however, be 

 no doubt about the differences in the latter; although the males differ from one 

 another mainly in intensity of color, and to a slight extent in sizes. The most 

 brilliant forms appear to be those from tropical localities. These birds are found in 

 the United States, ranging south into Mexico and British Honduras. One of the 

 best known of North-American birds is the common red cardinal, or Virginian 

 nightingale (Cardinalis mrginianus}. Dr. Coues says that this cardinal inhabits by 

 choice, thickets, tangle, and undergrowth of all kinds, whence issue its rich, rolling, 

 whistling notes, while the performer, brightly clad as he is, often eludes observation 

 by his shyness, vigilance, and activity. The nest, built loosely of bark strips, 

 twigs, leaves, and grasses, is placed in a bush-vine or low, thick tree; and in this the 

 cardinal lays rather a peculiar egg, some specimens recalling those of a night 

 hawk, in coloration at least, while others are more like those of the rose-breasted 

 grosbeak in the pattern of markings. While the ground color was white in all of 

 about fifty cases noticed, the spotting is of every shade of brown, from pale reddish 

 to heavy chocolate; but it is usually rather dark, and there is a great show of the 

 various purplish-brown or stone-gray markings. The tj^pical form of the Virginian 

 nightingale ranges westward from Eastern United States to Kansas, Nebraska, 

 the Indian Territory, and Texas; where it may be either stationary or slightly migra- 

 tory. A smaller form is found in Eastern Mexico, which is a deeper red, being of a 

 rich rosy scarlet. The Californian form has a larger bill than the type, and is 

 rather smaller in size; the black mask on the face not being continued across the 

 forehead. From Western Mexico there comes a form similar to the last, but 



