THK GRKRN CARDINAL. 65 



streak from the beak over the eye, the eyelid, a broad moustache 

 bounded by the cheeks and the black patch on the throat, and a 

 narrow collar bordering the latter, snow-white. 



Both sexes of this species sing fairly well ; but the song is 

 extremely like that of the Red-headed Cardinals, and consequently is 

 not remarkable for melody. When other birds are singing on a sunny 

 morning, these Cardinals usually accompany them. 



Mr. Hudson, who calls this species the " Yellow Cardinal," says 

 that it "is a graceful sprightly bird, with a strong melodious voice, 

 and is one of our favourite cage-birds. It visits Buenos Ayres in 

 small flocks in spring, but is a rare bird with us. There is little 

 variety in its song, which is composed of four or five mellow notes of 

 great power, and in tone somewhat like the whistle of the Blackbird 

 of Europe." 



This is almost exactly what Mr. White says of the Red-crested 

 Cardinal, as observed by him, also in the Argentine Republic. Now 

 it seems to me highly improbable that a bird, which in its own country 

 has a clear flute-like song, for that is what our Blackbird has, should 

 when brought to our more northern country invariably contract such 

 a severe cold, that its song should resemble nothing more exactly than 

 the rapid screwing round of a rather tight glass stopper in a bottle. 

 Besides, why has not the severe cold affected the call-note which is 

 clear and bright ? 



I am afraid the true explanation lies in the fact that, in a 

 country where most bird-songs are third-class, anything which arrests 

 the attention, immediately suggests something yet better at home. 

 Perhaps, I may be a little jealous of the reputation of our Blackbird, 

 which to my mind is unapproached by our other British Thrushes, as 

 regards melody ; but, even if it were true that the Cardinals sang 

 better in their own country than here, it would be hardly possible 

 that any seed-eating bird could produce the pure melodious whistle of 

 a soft-billed songster. 



Herr Wiener says that the Green Cardinals in his aviary always 

 built their nests in a cigar box, without the least shyness. " Three 

 or four light blue eggs, with dark brown spots, were laid and 

 assiduously hatched by the hen, the tip of whose bill could just be 

 seen projecting over the edge of the front part of the improvised 

 nest-box. About fourteen or sixteen days matured the eggs, and the 

 young birds were well nurtured by both their parents. But a liberal 

 supply of mealworms generally doomed the young brood to an early 

 death, and stimulated the old birds to lay again. Cautioned by 



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