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With all his compassion for Canary orphans, toward his own species, in his 

 breeding season, he is violent and pugnacious, and delights in a grand rough-and- 

 tumble fight. Place a mirror before his cage, and the gesticulations of the tenant 

 will be truly laughable ; yet with this he soon becomes so well acquainted, that, in 

 a short time, he takes no notice whatever of it. 



Cardinals are rarely raised from the nest ; as they are so easily taken in trap- 

 cages, and domesticated, that the trouble of rearing by hand is unnecessary. Like 

 the Mocking-bird, his very love for fighting makes him an easy victim for the wily 

 negro bird-trapper. A bird of some other species, if placed in a trap-cage, will 

 quickly attract the Cardinal's sharp eye ; and his furious pounce is followed by his 

 sure capture. The birds are also caught by means of bird-lime. When taken from 

 the trap-cage, his powerful beak is often used to such good effect on the hands of his 

 captor, that lie sometimes makes his escape, and at others is the means of breaking 

 his own neck. The Cardinal's beak is capable of inflicting a severe nip, and is 

 given so quickly and with such force, that the victim in his alarm endeavors to jerk 

 his hand away from the bill. The bird has a disposition like that of the bull-dog, 

 and hangs on with true grit : and, when the hand is pulled away, the bird retains his 

 hold ; and the sudden jerk is the means of breaking the chords of the neck, and the 

 result will be a lingering death. Whenever catching a bird which has a disposition 

 like the Cardinal's, it is better to catch him so that the thumb and forefinger will 

 encircle the neck close to the head : it is then an impossibility for the bird to bite. 

 If by any chance he should obtain a hold on the flesh, never pull the hand away ; as 

 the result oftentimes proves fatal. It is much better to grin and bear it for a while r 

 even if the nip should be at the tender flesh between the fingers. The bird always, 

 gradually releases the hold on the flesh, and then a safer method of holding him may 

 be tried. The Virginia Cardinal, like all brilliantly colored birds, is apt to lose to a 

 certain 'extent the richness of plumage when confined in a cage for a number of 

 years. This may be remedied by careful attention during the moulting season : 

 if placed in a good, airy place, where an abundance of sunlight may be had, the 

 bird will moult out, and look as brightly as if freshly caught. 



He is a hardy bird, easily kept, and sings nearly the whole year, being especially 

 lively on dark days. He sings in the evening as well as during the day. Many 

 admirers of the bird declare that the females sing even better than the males. To 

 this we hardly agree : the female's song is very sweet, and has some mellow notes 

 not found in the male's voice ; but it has neither the variety of notes nor the attrac- 

 tive and brilliant arrangement of them that the male possesses. Among domesti- 

 cated birds, which are bred altogether in cages, the plumage of the female is as 

 handsome as that of the male; but among wild birds particularly those having 

 brilliant colors one general law exists, that the male has always more elegant 

 colors than the female ; and it is equally true, that the male is the better singer. 

 The females of only a very few species sing at all. Whether one wishes to breed 

 them, or not, it is usually the case that a pair of Redbirds, male and female, is kept 

 together during the whole year. Under these conditions, it is stated, the male 

 sings more ; and as the female, too, sings well, there is a continuous round of 

 delightful melody. 



Some writers claim that the Redbird surpasses, in singing qualities, every other 



