146 
NEW-YORK FAUNA -BIRDS. 
This beautiful but shy and solitary bird is a southern species. It has been rarely observed 
as far north as Pennsylvania and New-Jersey ; in which latter State, Audubon once detected 
its nest. I think it highly probable that it will be found to breed in this State ; for Mr. Ben¬ 
jamin Moore killed the specimen which has furnished me with the preceding description and 
figure, on the 15th May, 1838, on Manhattan island, a few miles from the city. Its food 
consists of rice and seeds, and kernels of the hardest kinds. It breeds from Texas to 
New-York, and has been observed on the Rocky mountains. 
THE IlOSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK. 
COCCOBORUS LIJDOVICIANUS. 
PLATE LXIV. FIG. 147. 
(STATE COLLECTION.) 
liOxici ludoviciana. Linnaeus, p. 30G. 
Red-breasted Grosbeok. Pennant, Arct. Zool. Vol. 2, p. 350. 
Spotted do. Id. Vol. 2., p. 350 (female), and p. 372. 
Loxia rosea (ludoviciana). Wilson, Am. Orn. Vol. 2, p. 135, pi. 17, fig. 2 (male). 
Frmgilla ( Coccothraustes) ludoviciana. Bonaparte, Ann. Lyc. N. Y. Vol. 2, p. 113. 
Pyrrhula id. Sabine, Franklin's Journey. 
F. id. Bonaparte, Am. Orn. Vol. 2, p. 79, pi. 15, fig. 2 (female). Auddbon, fol. pi. 127. Nuttall, Man. Orn. 
Vol. 1, p. 527. 
Coccothraustes (Guiraca) id. Rich. & Svvainson, F. B. A. Vol. 2. p. 271. Kirtland, Zool. Ohio, p. 184. Pea¬ 
body, Birds of Mass. p. 329. 
Coccoborus id. Audubon, B. of A. Vol. 3, p. 209, pi. 205. 
C, id., Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Giraud, Birds of Long island, p. 133. 
Characteristics. Black. Breast and under wing-coverts rosaceous. Abdomen, rump, 
bands on the wings, and part of three outer tail-feathers white. Female 
and young , pale brown ; beneath lighter: three white bands on the 
head : no rose-color. Length, 8 inches. 
Description. Upper mandible with obsolete furrows ; the tip superficially notched. Tail 
slightly emarginate and rounded. 
Color. Head and upper parts black. Breast and under wing-coverts rose-colored: in 
front, this rose-color often descends down the centre of the abdomen. The posterior portion 
of the back, two bands on the wings, base of the quills, tips of the secondaries, and the 
terminal half of the inner webs of the outer tail-feathers white. Female and young , dusky 
olive brown : a white line over the summit of the head ; another over the eye, and one be¬ 
neath. Centre of the breast and under wing-coverts flaxen yellow. Beneath greyish white, 
spotted with brown more particularly on the breast and flanks. 
Length, 7’5 - 8 - 5. Alar extent, 12*5- 13-0. 
I have noticed this beautiful species in the western and atlantic districts of this State, where 
it breeds. Its eggs are from four to five, white spotted with brown. Its food consists of 
grain, berries and insects. Its observed geographical range is from Texas to 56° north lati¬ 
tude. It appears in its northern migration to avoid the Southern States bordering on the sea 
coast, and extends across the continent. 
