314 



OHIO EXPERIMENT STATION. 



GENUS CARDINALIS BONAPARTE. 



125. Cardinalis cardinalis (LINN.). 

 Cardinal; "Red Bird." 



Resident throughout the year ; abundant. Here almost universally known by 

 the name of ''Red Bird." It is most numerous in the thickets and the swamps on the 

 bottom-lands, and in the many wooded ravines adjacent. It is, however, found regu- 

 larly in suitable situations on the uplands, as well as in the door-yards and along the 

 shaded streets of the towns. Although during the co dest weather evincing an ap- 

 parent inclination to gather into the more sheltered locations, the species may, both 

 winter and summer, be found in much the same situations. It is occasionally ob- 

 observed in company Avith other species, such as the Junco, Fox Sparrow, House 

 Sparrow, and even the Rob;n. 



Nest-building begins late in April, and eggs have been found until June 15, 

 but the first three weeks of May seem to constitute the height of the breeding sea- 

 son. The nest is commonly well concealed in a bush or ornamental evergreen, and 

 is usually less than ten, often but two or three, feet from the ground. 



The measurements of three nests are as follows : 



The female, when flushed from the nest, leaves quietly, and ordinarily seeks to 

 avoid subsequent observation. The well known propensity of this species to desert 

 its breeding place upon slight provocation renders accurate observation upon the 

 nest a matter of some difficulty. According to the writer's experience, a first visit^ 

 if due caution be exercised, will not usually result in abandonment, even should the 

 female be in the vicinity at the time ; but a second inspection is quite certain to re- 

 sult disastrously. A nest begun on April 28, 1891, was ascertained to contain two 

 eggs on May 6 ; which data would determine the approximate period of its construc- 

 tion as five or six days. In all but one of the nests examined the maximum number 

 of eggs has been two ; the single exception containing three eggs, one of which was 

 fresh, the others being five-eighths incubated (May 15, 1891). These circumstance* 

 suggest the possibility that other sets of two eggs, if allowed to remain a sufficient 

 length of time, might have been augmented in a similar manner. 



This species apparently sings little during the winter months, but begins to be 

 heard usually about the later part of February, the twenty-third of this month 

 ( 1890) being the earliest record. The regular song period is carried well into August, 

 after which time the singing is more or less intermittent, continuing, however, in 

 some seasons until October 28. 



The Cardinal is possessed of no mean imitative ability, of which, however, it 

 does not seem to make frequent exhibition, and in regard to which little has appar- 

 ently beei written. On February 23, 1890, a male Cardinal was heard singing on 

 one of the main streets of Wooster, but so closely did the song resemble in every re- 

 spect the "purly, purly" of the Tufted Titmouse, that until the performer showed 

 himself in plain sight and in the very act of uttering these notes, the belief that they 

 proceeded from such a source was impossible. Similar remarks will equally apply to 

 another Cardinal, which was very successful in reproducing the common call of the 



