CARDINAL. 365 



''whoit 'whoit 'whoit 'feu (the 'whoit an exact human whistle, 

 and the /?« tenderly emphatic) . Another bird called teo teo 

 teo, tshooe tshooe tshooe tshooe, then teo teo teo teo alone, or 

 'wait 'woit 'woit 'wait, with the last word delivered slower, and 

 in a sinking, delicately plaintive tone. These phrases were 

 also answered in sympathy by the female, at a little distance 

 up the meandering brook where they were engaged in collect- 

 ing their food. In Florida, about the 12th of March, I heard 

 a very fine Redbird singing 'whtttoo wittoo widoo 'wlddoo. 

 He began low, almost in a whisper, but very clearly articu- 

 lated, and gradually raised his voice to loudness, in the manner 

 of the Nightingale. He now changed the strain into 'vlctu, 

 ■wilt wilt wilt wilt ; then 'victu tshooe 'tshooe tshooe tshooe, 

 afterwards tii tu ^victu, and 'victu tu tu, then varying 'tshooee, 

 etc., in a lower key. On approaching this bird, to see and 

 hear him more distinctly, he exhibited his anger by scolding in 

 a hoarse tone almost like that of a squirrel, and from the sea- 

 son, and absence of respondence in the female, I imagine he 

 already had a nest in the neighboring thicket. The bird, which 

 frequented the Botanic Garden for several days, in the morn- 

 ing sang fearlessly and loudly, but at other times the pair hid 

 themselves amongst the thickest bushes, or descended to the 

 ground to feed among the grass and collect insects and worms ; 

 now and then however, in an undertone, as if afraid of attract- 

 ing notice, he whispered to his mate ten teu feu, woit, 'woit 

 'woit, elevating his tone of recognition a httle at the close of 

 the call, and going over other of the usual phrases in the same 

 whispering and slenderly rising voice. About the 4th of July, 

 the same pair, apparently, paid us a parting visit, and the male 

 sang with great energy, 'tv' tin', 'weto 'weto 'wetb 'weto 'weto 

 wait, then waitUp waifiip wditup wdiiup, tshow tshow tshow 

 tshow tshow. On whistling any of these notes within hearing 

 of the Cardinal, a response is almost certain, as this affectionate 

 recognition is frequently answered by the female. His phrase 

 may also be altered at will, by whistling some other than that 

 which he repeats, as he often immediately answers in the call 

 he hears, supposing it to be that of his approaching mate. 



