Cardinals. 41,3 



RED-HEADED CARDINAL {Paroaria laiuata), Brazil. 

 Coccolhrmistes doniinicanus ( Russ\ Loxia dominicana, Spiza dominicaii i, Spiza larv.ita, Fringilla dominlcana, Paroaria dominicana, 

 Calyptiophorus dominicanus, Cardinxlis Im-vatus. English dealers' name — Pope-bird, or Dominican Cardinal, German 

 name — "Dominikaner Kardinal." French name — " Cardinal Dominiquain." 



The Red-headed or Dominican Cardinal, often called Pope by the dealers, completes a curious 

 list of popular bird names, in which nearly all the dignities of the hierarchy are represented. We 

 have a Pope, several Cardinals^ Bishops, a Parson Finch, and a variety of Nuns. 



The Red-headed Cardinal is very similar to the Red-crested Cardinal in every respect, except 

 that the crest is absent, and that his size is a trifle inferior. The feathers of this bird's head are all 

 short, as in the case of other Finches, but the scarlet colour is the same as the Red-crested 

 Cardinals. Years ago the Crestless or Dominican Cardinal used to be frequently obtainable, but 

 'for some time past the birds have been very rare, and I have seen none offered for sale for 

 years. Dealers have been accused of selling Red-headed Cardinals as the female of the Red- 

 crested species ; but such accusations are easily and far too freely made. And it may here be 

 mentioned that some amateurs too often suspect intentions of fraud where none has been 

 attempted. When dealing in foreign birds, mistakes must and will occur ; but the buyers are 

 more frequently at fault than the experienced dealers. In the whole course of my considerable 

 experience I have not once found myself wilfully deceived, although as regards many birds the 

 dealers as well as myself have been mistaken at the time of sale. Respecting food, &c., see 

 page 412. 



YELLOW-BILLED CARDINAL {Paroaria capitatd), Chili. 



Coccothrausies capitatus (Russ), Tachyphonus capiiatus, Cardinalis capitaU. Dealers' name — Brown-throated or Yellow-billed 



Cardinal. German name — " iVIantel Kardinal." French name — " Cardinal a gorge brune." 



In 1873 the Zoological Gardens purchased a pair of Yellow-billed Cardinals, which about 

 that time were imported now and then, but have lately disappeared again from the market. 

 This species is smaller than the Dominican Cardinal, and not much larger than a Bullfinch. It 

 is, like the Red-headed or Dominican Cardinal, crestless. The bill is wax-like yellowish-brown, 

 wherefore the name; but the German name, signifying "Cloaked Cardinal," seems preferable, 

 for the back and wings of this bird are darker than those of the other Cardinals. The 

 head down to the breast is crimson, a brown patch marking the throat. I would venture to 

 place this rare Cardinal in an aviary with small birds, but not to winter him out of doors, 

 for he seemed to me to have less stamina than the others. 



BLACK-CRESTED CARDINAL {Gubernatrix cristatella). South America. (Illustrated.) 

 Cocco.'kraustes cristatellus (Russ), Emberiza cristatella, Emierisa gubernatiix, Gubernatrix cristata, Lophocorythus gubernatrix, 

 Cardinalis cristatella. English dealers' name — Green Cardinal. German name — " Griiner Kardinal." French name — 

 " Cardinal vert." 



The Black-crested or Green Cardinal is, as the illustration shows, a very pretty though not 

 brilliantly coloured bird. I confess to a special predilection in his favour, for I found him the most 

 gentle of Cardinals, and every pair I had bred without difficulty. The cigar nest-box illustrated 

 in the introduction was one containing a Green Cardinal's nest, in which young were hatched and 

 successfully reared. Old birds will live on canary, millet, and hemp seed, to which a few oats may 

 be added with advantage, and a mealworm at times will prove very acceptable. The Green 

 Cardinals always built their nests in my aviary without the least shyness, constructing a very fair 

 nest in a cigar-box. Three or four light blue eggs, with dark brown spots, were laid and assiduously 

 hatched by the hen, the tip of whose bill could just be seen projecting over the edge of the front 



