CARDINAL GROSBEAK. 



81 



crevasses, and rotten bark, without the least fatigue, searching out 

 insects or their eggs or larvae. 



This species inhabits almost the whole of North America. In 

 the United States it is more numerous in the Middle and Western 

 than in the Southern States. It has been noticed, in mild winters, 

 in the southern part of Ohio. On the approach of cold, frosty 

 weather it generally migrates toward the South. If this bird is 

 taken hold of, by th^ hand, when winged, it will fight dexterously 

 and with great spirit. In confinement, it easily becomes recon- 

 ciled and familiar, and will subsist on hemp-seed, cherry-kernels, 

 apple-seeds, and the kernels of broken hickory-nuts; but it re- 

 quires a cage made altogether of wire, as it will chip its way, in 

 true Woodpecker style, through the wooden part of ordinary cages. 



The whole upper parts of the Crested Titmouse are of a dark 

 cinereous or lead color, except the front, which is black, tinged 

 with reddish. The whole lower parts are of a dirty white, except- 

 ing the sides under the wings, which are of a reddish-brown 

 color. The legs and feet are light blue ; the bill black, short, and 

 pretty strong. The wing-feathers are relieved with a dusky hue 

 on the inner vane. The eyes are dark hazel, and the lores white. 

 The head is, as already remarked, ornamented with a high crest, 

 pointed, and almost upright. The tail is somewhat forked, and 

 considerably concave below, and of the same color above as the 

 back. The tips of the wings are dusky ; the tongue is very short, 

 truncated, and ends in three — sometimes four — sharp points. The 

 female can not be distinguished from the male by the plumage. 

 Both male and female have the same markings, as well as the red- 

 dish brown on the sides under the wings. The nest is built in the 

 hollow of a tree. The cavity is often dug by itself, and the nest 

 consists of some dry fibrous roots of grass, the cast-off exuviae of 

 snakes, horse-hair, and feathers inside. The female begins to lay 

 early in May. The eggs, usually five or six in number, are of a 

 pure white, with a few small reddish spots on the larger end. 

 The whole family may be seen, in the month of July, hunting to- 

 gether, the parent birds keeping up a continual chatter — perhaps 

 to encourage and direct their inexperienced brood. 



The Cardinal Grosbeak. (Cardinalis Virginianus^) 



Fig. 3, Male. Fig. 4, Female. 



This elegant bird, in his bridal dress, is beautifully but uniformly 

 colored. His soft and slightly glossy plumage is very even dark 

 red — highest in the head and breast. The face and throat are deep 

 black. The inner veins of the quill-feathers are light brown, the 

 shafts dark brown, and the bill of a coral-red color. The iris of 

 the eye is dark hazel, and the feet brownish gray. The plumage 

 of the female is lighter colored and less red, with a more reddish 

 hue predominant. The head and crest are red, but the back is 

 brownish, and the breast of a dull loam, color. The front or face 

 and throat are not black, but of a dark ash color or gray. The 

 bill is also a little lighter coral-red. 



The Cardinal is a common bird in the Southern States, and is 

 found in great numbers in the Middle and Western States. When 

 the winters are mild, he remains in the Middle aud Western States 

 all the year round, but in severe winters wanders toward the South. 

 He is a very pleasing bird, and, by his splendid colors, is an orna- 

 ment to the forest, especially in winter, when his beautifully red 

 color contrasts finely with the dull appearance of the leafless trees. 

 In day'. ; me he loves to roam about in shrubbery interwoven with 

 briers and other winding plants. From such places he makes his 

 excursions to the neighboring fields and gardens, if the forests fail 

 to yield him sufficient food. He is just as often met with in the 

 nighborhood of cities as in the depths of the most solitary forests. 

 In the Southern States, he is sometimes seen in the interior cities 

 and villages, and it is seldom that one can step into a garden in 

 those States without seeing the "Redbird" slipping through the 

 bushes. Wherever he is, he is welcome, for he is a pet with every- 



body — his beautiful plumage, his rich song, and melodious whis- 

 tling giving him a ready introduction everywhere. 



During the summer, the Cardinal is only found in pairs, but in 

 fall and winter he is to be seen in small societies. He lives in 

 harmony with most of the smaller birds, but not so with birds of 

 his own kindred, especially during the mating and breeding season. 

 When he remains during the winter, he often comes to the farm- 

 yard, hopping around with Sparrows, Pigeons, Snow-birds, and 

 Buntings, and picking up seeds, examining the hedges of gardens 

 and fields for such food. With his strong and thick bill he skill- 

 fully cracks the hard corn or husks out of the kernels of oats, and 

 grinds the grain of wheat, and is therefore pretty certain to find 

 subsistence during winter. He takes his nights' rest in a neigh- 

 boring hay-stack or a well-sheltered tree, and so manages to out- 

 live the otherwise fatal winter. He is a restless bird, remaining 

 only a few minutes in the same place, but flying or hopping about 

 in every direction. On the ground he hops tolerably well, but 

 among the branches he moves skillfully and with perfect ease. 

 His flight is by starts, rather hard and quick, as well as noisy, but 

 usually not far extended. In severe winters the Cardinal emi- 

 grates, as already stated, roaming about the country, but with the 

 beginning of March returning to his old habitation. He performs 

 his journeys, as one might say, on foot, at least for a great part 

 of the distance, as he hops and skips from bush to bush and from 

 forest to forest, until he arrives at his destination. As with many 

 other birds, the male Cardinal appears a few days earlier than the 

 female. Soon after their arrival, they begin to mate, and the 

 males, inspired with jealousy, commence fighting each other. 

 They are so quarrelsome that they ferociously attack any in- 

 truder, whom they will follow from bush to bush, sometimes 

 fighting him in the air, but never giving him any rest until he is 

 successfully driven out of their view. They then return to their 

 former place, expressing their joy with a loud and quavering song. 

 The strongest attachment is found between the male and female. 



Their resting-place is a bush, a tree in the neighborhood of the 

 farm, or in the midst of a field, on the border or in the middle of a 

 forest. The woody borders of rivers seem to be the favorite place 

 for building their nests. The nest is often found in the immediate 

 neighborhood of a farm, and in many instances only a few yards 

 from that of the Mocking-bird. The nest consists of dry leaves 

 and fine branches, especially some thorny branches, interwoven 

 with stalks. The lining inside is made of fine dry grass. The 

 full complement of eggs is from four to six. The color of them is 

 a dirty white, spinkled all over with olive-brown spots; but it is 

 curious that scarcely ever two eggs are found alike in the nest, but 

 that they all differ in coloring as well as in their marking. 



In the Middle and Western States, the Cardinal breeds but once 

 in a season ; in the Southern States, twice regularly, and sometimes 

 three times. The young, after they are full fledged, are fed a few 

 days more by their parents and then left to take care of themselves. 

 Several kinds of grains, seeds, berries, and perhaps insects serve 

 them as food. In the spring, they live on the flowers of the maple ; 

 in summer, on elder and other berries ; in fall, grain and corn, and in 

 winter, whatever they can obtain. 



The Cardinal Grosbeak may be ranked among the best singing- 

 birds of this continent. His notes are clear and loud, resembling 

 the notes of a flageoletto at first, and gradually declining until they 

 appear as a mere whisper. During the season of love-making they 

 give free play to their most powerful notes. Being conscious of his 

 great power he swells his throat and breast, spreads his tail, flaps 

 his wings, turning alternately his head to the right and left, so as 

 to make known to others his own ecstasy at the melodious beauty 

 of his voice. These notes and gestures are frequently repeated, the 

 bird during the time pausing only to take breath. The beautiful 

 tunes of the Cardinal can be heard long before sunrise. During the 

 heat of the day he is silent, but as soon as the heat begins to pass off, 

 he renews his song with more vigor apparently than in the morn- 

 ing, and does not cease until surrounded by the shades of night. 



