FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 77 



the ground, utters his sweet-bird-sin-n-n-g, with an earnest- 

 ness which goes far to atone for his lack of striking musi- 

 cal ability. The nest is built on the ground and the 4-5 

 white, finely speckled eggs are laid during the first half of 

 May. 



The White-eyed Towhee (P. e. alleni) of Florida and 

 the coast region north to Charleston, South Carolina, 

 has the eye yellowish instead of red and th°. white markings 

 are more restricted. Its call is higher than that of the 

 northern bird and its song shorter. 



1{ CARDINAL 



Cardinalis cardinalis cardinalis. Case 4, Figs. 34, 35 



The male, with his conspicuous crest and bright colors, can be 

 confused with no other species; the female is much duller and 

 the crest is less prominent but still evident. L. 8 J. 



Range. Resident from the Gulf States to southern New York 

 and northern Ohio; rarely found further north. 



Washington, common P. R.; less common than formerly. 

 Ossining, A. V. Cambridge, irregular but not very infrequent 

 at all seasons. N. Ohio, common P. R. Glen Ellyn, rare S. R. 

 SE. Minn., rare. 



Next to the Mockingbird's medley, the rich, mellow 

 Whistle of the Cardinal is the most prominent bird voice 

 in the choir of southern songsters. Passing most of the 

 time in the undergrowth, where, in spite of his bril- 

 liant colors, he readily conceals himself, he makes no 

 attempt, when singing, to hide his fiery plumes, but select- 

 ing a conspicuous perch, challenges the attention of the 

 world. 



The female Cardinal also sings, but her song has much 

 less volume than that of her mate, and is more rarely 

 heard. The call-note of both sexes is a minute, sharp, 

 cheep, which one would attribute to a bird half their size. 

 The Cardinal nests in bushes, laying 3-4 whitish eggs 

 speckled and spotted with brown, in April. 



