98 



NOirril AMKIJICAX lUUDS. 



The eiigs of this sj)ecies are of an nval sIuijk', one einl beini,^ o^U' ^ little 

 less ruiinded tliaii the uthrr. Their average nieasuii'ment is one inch in 

 lenuth hy .SO in Itreadth. Their LiTound-i'fdor is a dull chalkv-white, over 

 whieh are distributed well-defined blotches of a light und>er-bro\vn, and also 

 a numl»er of indistinct markings of |turi)le. Tlu» spots are pretty uniform 

 i" ♦hese colors, but vary irreatly in size and distribution. In some ej^rgs they 

 lar«rely consist of tine dots, in others tliey are in bold blotches. In some the 

 brown is more confluent and the elfect that of a deeper shade. 



(xENus CARDINALIS, lioxvp 



Cardinnlis, B<)NArAHTE, Saggio di iiiui (li.stnb""'oiu' mctoJ. dei Auimagli Vcrtebrati, 1831 

 (Agassi/). (TyiH", Loxia atrdimdis, LiXN., 



Gen. Cii.vr. Bill ononnonsly laiyo : culinen very slightly cnrvtMl, conimissare sinnatcil; 

 lower jaw broatler than the loiigtli of the gonys, coiisidcialtly wider than the upper jaw, 

 about as deep as the latter. Tarsi longt'r than middle toe; outer toe rather the longer, 

 reaching a little beyond the base of the middle one; hind toe not so long. Wings 



Cardinalis I'irginianus. 



moderate, reaching over the basal tiiird of the exposed part of the tail. Four outer quills 

 graduated : the lirst etpial to the secondaries. Tail long, decidedly longer than the wings, 

 consideraOly graduated; feathers broad, truncated a little obli(|uely at the end, the corners 

 rounded- Colors red. Head crested. 



The essential characters of this ixenus are tlie crested head ; verv large 

 and thick bill extending far back on the foreliead, and onlv moderately 

 curved above ; tarsus longer than middle toe ; much graduated wings, the 

 first primary equal to the secondary quills ; the long tail exceeding the 

 winfjs, broad and much i»radiiated at the end. 



Of this genus, only two s])ecies are known, one of them being exclusively 

 South Americari, the other belongin«»- to North America, but in different regions 

 modified into reju'csentative races. They may be defined as follows. 



