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THE CARDINAL GROSBEAK, OR VIRGINIAN NIGHT- 

 INGALE. 



Loxia cardinalis, Linn^eOs ; Cardinal hupp^, ou Rossiguol de Virginie, Buffon ; 

 Der Cardinal Kembeisser. Bechstein. 



The length of this bird is eight inches, of which the tail 

 measures three. Its beak is strong and light red, like its feet ; 

 the iris is dark brown ; the head is ornamented with a tuft, 

 which, when raised, is pointed ; the throat and the part round 

 the beak are black ; the rest of the body is of a beautiful bright 

 red ; the pen and tail-feathers are less brilliant, and brown on 

 the anterior part. 



The female is in general of a reddish brown. 



Observations. — The beautiful song of this grosbeak is so like that of 

 the nightingale, that this name has been given it ; but its voice is so strong 

 that it pierces the ears. It sings through the whole year, except during 

 the time of moulting. 



In its wild state, its principal food is the seed of the Indian corn an*! 

 buck-wheat ; it collects a considerable quantity of this food, which it skil- 

 fully covers with leaves and twigs, only leaving a very small hole, as the 

 entrance to this magazine. In the cage it is fed with millet, rape seed, 

 hemp seed, and the like, which agree with it very well. 



Some persons have endeavoured to make it breed in large aviaries in 

 the middle of gardens, but I do not know that it has ever succeeded. In 

 Germany it is very dear, being as much as six or eight pounds sterling for 

 a pair. 



THE JAVA SPARROW, OR RICE BIRD. 



Loxia crycivora, Linn^us ; Le Padda, ou Oiseau de Riz, Buffon ; Der Reiskem- 

 beisser, Bechstein. 



This bird is about the size of a bullfinch, and five inches ia 

 length, of which the tail measures two. The beak is thick, 

 and of a fine rose colour ; the feet are paler ; the eyelids naked, 

 and edged with rose colour ; the head, throat, and streak 

 which surrounds the cheeks, are black ; the cheeks are white ; 

 the rump, tail, and greater pen-feathers are black, but all the 

 rest of the upper part of the body, the wing-coverts, hinder 

 pen-feathers, and breast, are of a dark grey ; the belly purple 

 grey ; the lower tail-coverts white. " The whole plumage," 

 says Buffon, ^' is so well arranged, that no one feather passes 

 another, and they all appear downy, or rather covered with 



