38 Bird Studies. 



with white, which color prevails on the belly. The imliiature birds resemble 

 the female. 



Though the birds range throughout North America as far north as New- 

 foundland, in the breeding season they are only of general occurrence in the 

 more southern parts, being local if not rare in the States north of Delaware. 

 They breed in boxes and other shelters erected for their use about the house 

 and yard. Here are laid four or five pure white eggs, about an inch long and 

 nearly three quarters of an inch in their smaller diameter. More musical than 

 the other representatives of the family, their gay carol is a welcome addition 

 to the bird chorus about our houses. 



The Cuban Martin is very similar in general appearance to the last, but 

 in the adult male the ventral region shows a spot or bar of white, beneath 

 the surface feathering of bluish black. 

 Cuban Martin. j^ j^ ^^^^^ -^^ ^^^^^ America in Southern Florida, 



Progne cryptoleuca Baird. .. ..,.,,,. -. 



and its general economy is identical with that of its near 

 relative. 



A " Redbird," his home name, best describes this gay fellow, and if it is 



added that he has a pronounced crest like that of a Jay or a Cedar bird, and 



that he. is between eight and nine inches long, our bird is 



Cardinal. identified. This is the male : the female is identical in 



Cardinaliscardinalis (Linn.). . , . ,. ^,.. 11* 



shape ; the varying shades of red in the male being re- 

 placed by buff or brownish snuff color, with suggestions of red on the crest, 

 wings, and tail. Both have the forehead and sides of face and the upper 

 throat more or less - black or dusky, varying in tone in different represen- 

 tatives. 



This bird is not a migrant, and though not as common at its northern 

 limit, Southern New York and the Great Lakes, as it becomes farther south, 

 yet the Cardinals that live in these regions brave the cold and storms as does 

 the equally brilliant Jay. 



But it is throughout Virginia and farther south that this is one of the 

 house birds. Both sexes are brilliant songsters, are heard at all times and 

 are seen almost as frequently. In Florida they are ubiquitous. There, daily^ 

 throughout the winter, I have seen them feed on seeds and crumbs, often five 

 or six together, close to the windows of my house. Their nests of dead leaves 



