530 MICHIGAN BIRD LIFE. 
240. Cardinal. Cardinalis cardinalis cardinalis (Linn.). (593) 
Synonyms: Cardinal Grosbeak, Virginia Cardinal, Kentucky Cardinal, Red-bird, 
Crested Red-bird.—Loxia cardinalis, Linn., 1758.—Fringilla cardinalis, Bonap., Nutt., 
Aud.—Cardinalis cardinalis, A. O. U. Check-list, 1886, and most subsequent writers.— 
Cardinalis virginianus, Baird, 1858, and most authors until 1886. 
Mainly brilliant red, a small area about the base of the bill, and running 
down the throat, black. A high, pointed crest like that of the Blue Jay. 
Bill red. Female similar, but much duller, even ashy, washed with red, 
the reddish tint brightest on chest, wings and tail. 
Distribution.—Hastern United States, north to the Lower Hudson 
Valley and the Great Lakes, casually farther north, and west to the Plains. 
In Michigan the Cardinal appears to be a rather rare species, mainly 
confined to the southern half of the Lower Peninsula, and probably most 
frequently met with in the three lower tiers of counties. Contrary to the 
usual impression, this bird is resident wherever found, and since it changes 
its plumage but little with season it is much more conspicuous during 
winter and so by far the larger number of records are made in winter. 
There is some evidence to show that it has extended its range northward 
during the last dozen years. At all events, it had never been recorded 
from Ingham county until February 1899, since which time it has been 
found regularly on the campus of the Agricultural College each year, and 
sometimes four or five individuals have wintered there. 
Each spring the birds have remained until well into May and have been 
quite musical; and two nests have beenfound. On June 6, 1903, a nest con- 
taining two fresh eggs was found on the lower branch of a Norway spruce 
close to the main road on the south side of the campus. Unfortunately the 
nest was upset by astudent surveying party and although the birds probably 
nested again we did not locate the family. Another nest was found in June, 
1911, which contained only two eggs, one of which did not hatch. In spite 
of the fact that this nest was in a slender sapling, only five feet from the 
ground, and in plain view from a path along which hundreds of students 
passed at all hours, the Cardinals succeeded in getting the single young 
bird safely on the wing. Undoubtedly the Cardinal nests regularly in the 
vicinity of the College and is attracted to the campus in winter by the 
abundance of evergreens, and especially by the numerous tulip trees 
(Lirtodendron), on the seeds of which it feeds constantly during cold 
weather. 
Apparently the species is not common anywhere in the state, but a pair 
or two have been reported from St. Clair county (Swales and Taverner), 
Jackson county (Mrs. Campbell), Kalamazoo (Dr. Gibbs, W. Wilkowski), 
Olivet (H. L. Clark), Battle Creek, (N. Y. Green), Petersburg, Monroe 
county, nesting (Trombley), Hillsdale county (A. H. Boies, T. L. Hank- 
inson), Ann Arbor (Covert, Wood, Cole), Bangor, Van Buren county (F. 
H. Shuver), Detroit (Swales, Taverner, J. Claire Wood), Grand Rapids 
(R. H. Wolcott), Forestville, Sanilac county (Albert Hirzel), Beulah, Benzie 
county (W. M. Wolfe). Reports from the Upper Peninsula probably 
relate to the Scarlet Tanager, yet the bird is strong of wing, and perfectly 
hardy at any latitude. 
The nest is commonly placed in an evergreen tree or in some thick tangle 
of vines, and is built of fine twigs, weed stems, grape vine bark, and similar 
material, making a basket-like structure which is lined with fine roots, 
