BIRDS OF KANSAS. 483 



These birds are not noticeably different in their general habits, 

 actions or song, from the common eastern Towhee. Their call 

 note is, however, quite different, and sounds more like the mew 

 of the Catbird. 



Eggs four or five, . 94x. 69; white, tinged slightly with green- 

 ish, and speckled and spotted with reddish and purplish brown, 

 thickest about the larger end, some specimens thickly, others 

 sparingly marked; in form, oval. 



GENUS CARDINALIS BONAPARTE. 



"Bill enormously large; culmeu very slightly curved, commissure sinuated; 

 lower jaw broader than the length of the gouys, considerably wider than the 

 upper jaw, about as deep as the latter. Tarsi longer than the middle toe; outer 

 toe rather the longer, reaching a little beyond the base of the middle one; hind 

 toe not so long. Wings moderate, reaching over the basal third of the exposed 

 part of the tail. Four outer quills graduated; the first equal to the secondaries. 

 Tail long, decidedly longer than the wings, considerably graduated; feathers 

 broad, truncated a little obliquely at the end, the corners rounded. Colors red. 

 Head crested. 



"The essential characters of this genus are: The crested head; very large and 

 thick bill, extending far back on the forehead, and only moderately curved 

 above; tarsus longer than the middle toe; much graduated wings, the first pri- 

 mary equal to the secondary quills; the long tail exceeding the wing, broad and 

 much graduated at the end." 



Cardinalis cardinalis (LINN.). 



CARDINAL. 

 PLATE XXIX. 



Resident; common in eastern Kansas; rare in western part 

 of the State. Begin laying about the middle of May. 



B. 390. E. 242. C. 299. G. 121, 242. U. 593. 



HABITAT. Eastern United States; north regularly to about 

 latitude 41, casually northward; west to the edge of the Great 

 Plains; south to the Gulf coast. Breeds throughout its range. 



SP. CHAR. "Adult male: Uniform vermilion red, pure beneath, darker and 

 more brownish above. Lores, anterior portion of malar region, chin and throat 

 black, this color meeting across forehead at base of culmen. Bill bright ver- 

 milion; iris brown; feet horn color. Adult female: Bill, eyes and feet as in 

 the male. Red of head and body replaced by olive gray above, and grayish buff 

 or pale fulvous below, the crest, sometimes also the breast, tinged with red. 

 Black of throat, etc., replaced by grayish. Young: Bill dusky. Plumage much 

 as in the adult female, but browner." 



