f . 



The Cardinal Family. 7 



a thrush or blackbird the young Cardinals* would be 

 reared without any difficulty, and might then be 

 permitted to escape, when, no doubt, they would soon 

 become acclimatised and able to shift for themselves. 



THE POPE, or CRESTLESS CARDINAL, Paroaria 

 larvata, is somewhat smaller than the last-named 

 species, which it closely resembles in its plumage, 

 the great point of difference being the total absence 

 of a crest in the case of the bird now under con- 

 sideration : it is a native of Brazil, perfectly hardy if 

 turned out during the summer, and no more to be 

 trusted with other, and especially smaller, species 

 than its larger relative with the crest. Like the 

 latter, the Popes have bred in confinement ; that is to 

 say, in the comparative freedom of a garden aviary, 

 for I have no knowledge of their nesting in a cage, or 

 even in a bird-room, and from their shy and retiring 

 habits think it is extremely unlikely that they would 

 do so. 



The sexes are alike in appearance, but the female 

 is a trifle smaller than her mate, and has a more 

 subdued and quieter manner than he has. The eggs 

 resemble those of the Red-crested Cardinal, but are 

 smaller : there are two broods in the season, of from 

 three to five each. 



THE YELLOW-BILLED CARDINAL, Paroaria capitata, 

 is also a native of South America, and is crestless ; 

 it is smaller than the Pope, from which it differs not 

 only by the colour of its beak, but also in that of the 

 head feathers, which are brownish-red, small, and very 

 closely set. The sexes are alike, but several females 

 I have seen showed a trace of white on the wings. 



