128 UPLAND AND MEADOW. 



corded by our own ornithologists. The truth is, there 

 is no more perfectly harmless bird in America than a 

 cardinal grosbeak. 



Wliile in a critical mood, let me call attention to 

 other statements, made at home. In the elaborate 

 tomes of Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway, it is stated that 

 the cardinal is by no means common in Pennsylvania, 

 and that a prominent ornithologist has but seldom seen 

 it in New Jersey. This is all utterly, inexplicably ab- 

 surd. It is true, if not looked for in their favorite 

 haunts, they would be seldom, perhaps never, seen ; 

 but systematic search would never fail to discover 

 them. 



As the cardinal is known, at least locally, as the win- 

 ter red-bird, it is fitting, at such a time, to bid him fare- 

 well. In the first snow of the season he deliirhts to 

 disport himself, and when the air is fnll of feathery 

 flakes he fears no prowling falcon, but, mounting the 

 topmost twig of his brier -patch, whistles so cheerily 

 that the dreariness of on-coming winter is forgotten. 



Leaving the brave cardinal singing in a snow-storm, 

 let us now turn to the last of the series of four red 

 birds, and this the rarest of them all, the pine grosbeak. 

 The first snow-storm, often in November, fails to bring 

 him. A steady cold of several weeks must elapse ; the 

 indications must all point to a severe season, and then, in 

 January, if on the lookout — for these birds do not flock 

 to our dooryards — tlie pine grosbeaks may be found. 

 A winter that is even more than ordinarily cold will 

 sometimes come and go without these birds appear- 



