CARDINAL KEDBIED. 349 



Loxia cardinalis, Linn^us, Syst. Nat., 1766, 300. 



Fringilla (Cocolhramles) cardinalis, Bonapabtb, Obs. Wils., 1825, No. 79. 



Cardinalia virginianus, Bonaparte, List, 1838, 35. 



Male: rich vermilliou or rosy-red, obscured with ashy on the back; face black; bill 

 reddish ; feet brown. Female : ashy brown, paler below, with evident traces of the red 

 on the crest, wings, tail, and under parts. Length, 8-9 ; wing, about 3f ; tail, 4. 



Habitat, Eastern United States; west to Kansas, Nebraska, and Texas; north to the 

 Middle Suites. lare in New York, casual in Conuecticuri, accidental in Massachusetts; 

 represented by varieties in the Southwest. 



Common resident. Breeds. Frequents thickets in woodland and 

 swamps. 



Tlie Cardinal Grosbeak, or Redbird, as it is here generally called, is 

 better known as a cage bird than in its native state. It is resident 

 throughout the State, though not sedentary, but wandering in winter 

 and collecting in great ni\mbers in suitable sheltered localities. Mr. 

 Read says that he has taken it in Northern Ohio when the thermometer 

 stood at z-'ro. Dr. Kirtland, in 1838, said it "was hardly known in the 

 Western Reserve until within the last three or four years," but was 

 then common and resident. Mr. Read also mentions their increasing 

 numbers. 



In this vicinity they are generally distributed during the breeding 

 season, but in severe winters they collect in large companies in swamp 

 thickets. In one such locality of about ten acres in extent, I have seen 

 in an hour more than a hundred birds. They are also frequent visitors 

 to the gardens of the city during the colder portions of the year. 



In their habits and flight thej' bear considerable resemblance to the 

 Brown Thrush. The call or alarm note of this bird is a loud sharp chip, 

 and their song a highly modulated repetition of loud whistling notes of 

 great variety. They often sing at night, and the song of the female, 

 though weaker, is not less varied, and more pleasing than that of the 

 male. 



Considerable numbers are trapped pnd sold. In cold weather almost 

 any form of trap baited with corn, buckwheat, or other seeds, will capture 

 them; in spring they are generally taken in trap-cages, by the use of 

 decoy birds. They are nearly always to be found in the markets of the 

 city, where they sell at from one to two dollars per pair. 



The nest is placed in a variety of situations, usually from three to ten 

 feet from the ground. I have found them in low dense-topped trees, in 

 thickets, on the top of vine-covered stumps, in wild-gooseberry bushes 

 overhanging water, and in brush-heaps. I have found the nest ready for 

 the reception of eggs as early as April 17. It is rather small and com- 



