96 THE CARDINAL. 



No. 44. 



CARDINAL. 



A. O. U. No. 593. Cardinalis cardinalis (L,inn.). 



Synonyms. — Red-bird; Cardinal Red-bird; Cardinal Grosbeak. 



Description. — Adult male in spring: Region about base of bill (the capis- 

 trum) and throat black; rest of plumage vermilion, — brightest on crest, sides of 

 head, and below, darker and with a rosy tinge above ; feathers of back and rump 

 with grayish skirting; inner webs of wing-feathers fuscous; bill light red; feet 

 brown. Adult female: Capistrum grayish black; wings, tail, longer feathers of 

 crest, and a spot above the eye dull red; occasionally faint tinges of red on the 

 cheeks, lower throat, and tibiae; remainder of plumage ashy brown, diiller above, 

 brighter and more ochraceous on breast, paler below. Males vary considerably 

 in the amount of gray on upper parts. Young birds, like adult female, save that 

 the bill is dark, and males are tinged below with vermilion in varying propor- 

 tions. Very variable as to size. Adult male, length, 7:50-9.00 (190.5-228.6); 

 av. of ten Columbus specimens: wing 3.67 (93.2); tail 3.82 (97.); bill, length 

 along culmen .63 (16.) ; depth at base .62 (15.8). 



Recognition Marks. — Chewink size ; cardinal-red at least on wings, tail, and 

 crest ; black or blackish face mask ; large, thick bill. 



Nest, usually of rather careless construction, of twigs, coarse grass and trash, 

 lined with fine grass and rootlets, and placed in thickets or low in trees. Bggs, 

 3 or 4, sometimes 5, white, or with bluish, greenish or grayish tint, spotted regu- 

 larly, or irregularly blotched and dotted with reddish browns, grays, or lavender. 

 Av. size, i.oo X .71 (25.4 X 18.). 



General Range. — Eastern United States, north to the lower Hudson Valley 

 and the Great Lakes, casually further north, and west to the Plains. Resident 

 in Bermuda. 



Range in Ohio. — Abundant resident. Less common but increasing northerly. 



PROBABLY four persons out of five — at least in the southern half of 

 the state — if asked to name their favorite songster, would reply promptly, 

 the Red-bird. For who is there to the manor born, whose heart does not 

 flood with pleasant memories as he listens to our poet, Naylor's words ? 

 "Along the dust-white river road 

 The saucy red-bird chirps and trills ; 

 His liquid notes resound and rise 

 Until they meet the cloudless skies 

 And echo o'er the distant hills." 

 Not merely for the splendor of his plumage, but for the gentle boldness 

 of his comradeship and the daily heartening of his stirring song, the Cardinal 

 is beloved of all who know him. 



Some years ago the Cardinal had good reason to complain of our fond- 

 ness, but now that wise legislation has forbidden his imprisonment he sino-s 



