Old Friends and New 271 
Dressed much like our scarlet tanager, the 
bird is even more conspicuous because of his 
flycatcher habits—his aerial sorties and ma- 
noeuvres. The male has a charming way also 
of remaining poised on fluttering wings like 
the Maryland yellowthroat and the upland 
plover, mounting higher and higher and 
delivering his silvery bubbling phrase again 
and again above the cornfields or the desert. 
This song is a sweet jingling performance un- 
usual for a flycatcher, which commends itself 
largely by reason of the free and spontaneous 
manner in which it is sung. There is some- 
thing peculiarly appealing about a bird sing- 
ing on the wing, appearing as it does an 
embodiment of freedom and of melody, a 
lovely symbol in the air, that inspires and 
lifts up the heavy heart chained to earth and 
to dull care. 
Resembling his Eastern congener, the 
Arizona cardinal is a splendid personality, 
with a ringing melodious voice. Cardinal 
and phainopepla have both a distinguished 
appearance and bearing, like exceedingly 
well-born and well-bred people. In central 
Arizona the cardinal is a- familiar bird, 
singing about the cottonwoods and the palo 
verdes and always impressing one with his 
