WHICH SHALL WE CHOOSE? 17 



mischievous in pranks, they are delightful to 

 look at and listen to, but not so amusing, 

 nor apparently so intelligent, as those already 

 spoken of. 



The Virginia cardinal is a favorite cage bird, 

 both on account of his beauty and his song. 

 Indeed, an English lady who had one of these 

 birds for years declares that he is a finer singer 

 than the nightingale. That is a high compli- 

 ment for our bird, for the nightingale is famed 

 in song and story, and by many considered 

 the finest singer in the world. The cardinal 

 is not specially interesting as a pet. His song 

 and his brilliant coat are the sum of his at- 

 tractions. If his food dish is well supplied, 

 and his comfort in other respects attended to, 

 he becomes entirely reconciled to captivity, 

 but never at least in the room with other 

 birds familiar with his human neighbors. I 

 have heard of cardinals kept alone who became 

 friendly and affectionate, but I have myself 

 owned several of them, and never felt ac- 

 quainted with one. To my taste, the female 

 is much more lovely, and a sweeter singer than 

 her mate, having softer tints and not so loud 

 a voice. 



