124 Birds I Have Kept. 



The same writer adds: "If I tad had to name this bird, 

 I should have felt inclined to call him Mephistopheles." Dr. 

 Euss states that the eggs, which vary in number from four 

 to six, are bluish white, speckled with olive green and brownish 

 spots : he gives the names of a number of amateurs who have 

 bred the Cardinal Grosbeak successfully in Germany, and relates 

 that a pair which escaped in autumn made a nest in a wood, 

 and reared four young ones during the following summer; so 

 that there would be no difficulty in acclimatising them in 

 this country, as far as climatic influences are concerned. 



The song of the male bird is sufficiently pleasing, and the 

 female also sings a little, but they are utterly unworthy of 

 sharing with the Queen or rather King of Song the name of 

 JS'ightingale : however, as they are among the best, if not the 

 very best, of the American songsters, they may, perhaps, have 

 permission to be so called in their native land, where they 

 are, naturally, thought a good deal of. 



"When wild the Cardinal Grosbeak is pretty well omnivorous; 

 seeds, fruit, green peas, and insects of all kinds finding favour 

 with it as articles of diet: in the house it must be fed in a 

 similar manner, substituting grocers' currants and raisins for 

 ripe fruit in winter: if kept in a dark room, its plumage soon 

 loses its brilliancy, and the rich Mephistophelian garb grows 

 dull and brown, so that after a while the male can scarcely 

 be distinguished from his sober-suited [mate. These birds are 

 extremely fond of bathing, and should always have access to 

 a liberal supply of clean water for drinking and bathing pur- 

 poses: a certain amount of insect food, for which egg and 

 milk are but poor and inadequate substitutes, are essential to 

 the well-being of these brilliant creatures. 



The Cardinal Grosbeak is naturally shy and timid, and when 

 newly imported must be treated carefully, every precaution 

 being taken not to startle it, because when frightened it is 

 apt to ■ bang itself violently about the cage, and injure its 

 head. It is a good plan when the bird is first brought into 



