340 FRINGILLTD^. 



secondaries. The tail is very long and rounded. The general plumage of the male is 

 scarlet, and there is a very distinct occipital crest. 



1. Cardinalis virginianus. 



Loxia cardinalis, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 300 \ 



Fringilla cardinalis, Licht. Preis-Verz. mex. Vog. p. 1, cf. J. f. Orn. 1863, p. 56'. 



Cardinalis virginianus, Bp. P. Z. S. 1837, p. Ill '; Baird, Mex. Bound. Surv. ii.. Birds, p. 17' ; 

 Scl. P. Z. S. 1856, p. 303° J 1859, pp. 365 ^ 378' ; Dresser, Ibis, 1865, p. 491 ' ; Salv. Ibis, 

 1866, p. 193 " ; Dug^s, La Nat. i. p. 139 " ; Lawr. Ann. Lye. N. Y. ix. p. 201 " ; Sumichrast, 

 Mem.Bost. Soc.N. H, i. p. 553''; Baird, Brew., & Ridgw. N. Am. B.ii.p.lOO"; Sennett, 

 Bull. U. S. Geol. Surv. iv. p. 31 " j v. p. 394'= ; Boucard, P. Z. S. 1883, p. 444". 



Cardinalis virginianus, var. coccineus, Baird, Brew., & Ridgw. N. Am. B. ii. p. 99 ". 



Coocinens, dorso multo obscuriore et plumis plenimque oinereo-fasco terminatis ; alls fascis extus rubroindutis ; 

 Cauda fusco-rubra, crista occipitali elongata coccinea, fronte angusta, loris, regione suboculari et gula nigris ; 

 rostro rubro, pedibus carneis. Long, tota 7-7, alas 3-6, caudse 4, rostri a rictu 0-75, tarsi 1-0. 

 $ mari aliquot similis, sad colore coccineo alls, caudse et cristse restricto, dorso sordide olivaoeo ; subtus sordide 

 ocbracea, pectore obscuriore. (Descr. maris et feminse ex Jalapa, Mexico. Mus. nostr.) 



Eab. North America ^, southern portions of United States, Eio Grande Valley ^^, 

 Texas 8 1^15, Bermuda i^. — Mexico ^ 3, Nuevo Leon {Couch % Guanajuato (Duges), 

 State of Vera Cruz in winter {Sumichrast ^% Cordova {SalU ^), Jalapa {de Oca % 

 Playa Vicente {Boucard'^), Merida in Yucatan ^^ {Schott^^), Chable {Gavmer^^); 

 Bkitish Hondueas, Belize {0. S.^, Blamcaneaux), Corosal {JRoe). 



This is the Cardinal Grosbeak, described by Mr. Eidgway as C. virginianus, var. 

 coccineus ^^, but we wholly fail to distinguish between specimens from Jalapa and 

 others from Washington ; and as Sumichrast speaks of C. virginianus as a winter visitor 

 to the State of Vera Cruz i^, the probability is that the birds of Eastern Mexico and the 

 Eastern States are of one species. In Yucatan, however, and in British Honduras, both 

 of which localities are included in the range of C. v. var. coccineus, we notice that the 

 grey edging of the dorsal feathers becomes evanescent, leaving this part of the plumage 

 of a redder tint than is usual in C. virginianus. The difference is, however, of the 

 slightest, not very constant, and unaccompanied by other characters. 



Cardinalis virginianus is a very familiar bird in the Eastern States, and has been 

 known for at least two centuries, being mentioned by nearly every writer on North- 

 American birds. It is a favourite cage-bird, and distinguished for its song, the female 

 as well as the male having this accomplishment. Its habits, nest, and eggs are fuUy 

 described by Brewer in the ' History of North- American Birds ' ^^ *, and a very copious 

 list of references is to be found in Dr. Coues's ' Birds of the North- West.' 



* For the statement, " A single specimen of this bird was obtained near Dueiias, Guatemala, by Mr. Salvin," 

 we can find no authority. Salvin says ' that he saw Cardinal Grosbeaks at Belize, but did not obtain speci- 

 mens. This, so far as we know, is its extreme southern range. It was certainly never seen by us 

 elsewhere. 



