336 THE CARDINAL GROSBEAK. 



The Paradise, or Broad-shafted Whidah Bird, is the species that is most familiar in 

 cages and menageries, as it is by no means an uncommon bird in its native land, and bears 

 confinement better than most inhabitants of a tropical land. It is an inhabitant of ^Vestern 

 Africa, being found throTighout the whole district from Senegal to Angola ; and as it is of a 

 light and airy disposition, it gives a liv^^ly aspect to the trees among which it lives. It is per- 

 petually in motion, Hitting from bough to bough with graceful lightness, pecking here and 

 there after a casual insect, and evidently admiring its ovpn beautiful tail with thorough appre- 

 ciation. 



The name Widow Bird is altogether an erroneous title, although it is supposed by many 

 persons to have been given to the bird on account of its dark color and long train, as well as 

 in consequence of its evidently disconsolate state when the beautiful tail-feathers have fallen 

 off after the breeding season. Certainly a caged Whidah Bird in such a condition exhibits the 

 sincerest grief for his loss, and conducts himself as if laboring under the most poignant sorrow. 

 Instead of boldly skipping among the highest forks, and flirting his long tail for the admira- 

 tion of every spectator, he sits humbly on the lowest perches, or even on the floor of the cage, 

 backs himself into a corner, and seems thoroughly ashamed of his undress. In point of fact, 

 however, the proper name is Whidah Bird, a title that was originally given to it by the Por- 

 tuguese, because the lirst specimens that were brought to Europe came from the kingdom of 

 Whidah, on the eastern coast of Africa. 



There are many species of these pretty little creatures, all being remarkable for some 

 peculiarity in their form or coloring. One of them is the Shaft-tailed Whidah Bird. 



This exquisite bird is found along the African coasts, and is in great favor in Europe as a 

 cage bird. Its voice is superior to that of the preceding species, although none of the Whidah 

 Birds are remarkable for the musical power or brilliancy of their song. It is bright and 

 sprightly in all its movements, flitting about its cage with a restless activity and fearless 

 demeanor that endear it to its owner. From the Paradise Whidah Bird it may be distinguished 

 not only by its coloring, but by the curious arrangement of its tail-feathers, which are very 

 short, wdth the exception of the four central feathers, which are most singularly elongated, 

 each feather presenting to the eye little but the bare shaft for the greater part of its length, 

 and then slightly Avidening towards the extremities. The sides of the head and around the 

 neck are deep, rusty red, and the back of the neck and top of the head are mottled black. 

 The total length of the Shaft-tailed Whidah Bird is from nine to ten inches. 



THE HAWFINCHES. 



The Grosbeaks or Hawfinches now claim our attention. They are all remarkable for their 

 very large, broad, and thick beaks, a peculiarity of construction which is intended to serve 

 them in their seed-crushing habits. 



The most magnificent example of this group is the Cardinal, or Scarlet Grosbeak, 

 an inhabitant of various parts of America, where it is known under the titles of Red Bird, 

 Crested Red Bird, and Virginian Nightingale. 



It is rather a large bird, measuring aboxit eight inches in total length, and is colored in a 

 most gorgeous fashion. The back is dusky red, and the whole of the rest of the plumage is 

 bright, vivid scarlet, wdth the exception of a patch of jetty black short feathers that decorate the 

 chin, forehead, and base of the beak. Upon the head there is a high pointed crest, which can 

 be raised or lowered at pleasure. Even the bill is bright scarlet. The female is a smaller bird, 

 and is not nearly so handsome as her mate. The upper parts of the body are brown-olive, and 

 the tail, tip of the crest, and the wings are scarlet. The chin and forehead are ashen-gray, 

 and the l)reast and abdomen are drab, with a dash of red. The l)iU is scarlet like that of the 

 male. 



The voice of the Cardinal Grosbeak is naturally fine, though the song is apt to be rather 

 too monotonous, the bird repeating the same phrase twenty or thirty times before proceeding 



