BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 197 



maries with white at the base and on the middle of the outer web ; inner two ter- 

 tiaries also edged externally with white ; tail feathers black ; outer web of first, with 

 the ends of the first to the third white, decreasing from the exterior one. Bill black ; 

 legs brown ; iris bright red. Female. Smaller than male, with black replaced by 

 brown ; bill dusky brown ; iris brownish or reddish amber. Young Head, neck, 

 back and breast dull brownish yellow and black ; below whitish with brownish 

 tinge and in some specimens streaked with dusky ; eyes brownish, yellowish or 

 whitish. L'ength Male, about 8| inches ; extent, about 11. 

 Hab. Eastern United States and southern Canada, west to the plains. 



Common summer resident from April to November ; rare winter 

 resident in the southern counties, where a few individuals are occa- 

 sionally seen. This somewhat shy and retiring bird inhabits 

 thickets, clearings and woodland undergrowth ; during migrations it 

 also often visits lawns and gardens of towns and villages. When 

 migrating southward these birds go in small detached flocks ; in the 

 spring they come singly or in pairs, the males arriving usually a few 

 days in advance of the females. The rather bulky nest made up of 

 leaves, fine twigs, grasses, etc., is generally built on the ground in a 

 grass tuft or at the base of thick bushes, and so artfully is it hidden 

 that it can oftimes only be discovered by a most careful search. The 

 4 or 5 white and reddish spotted eggs measure each about .95 by .72 

 of an inch. The several terms, Towhee, Chewink, Juree and Shewink, 

 by which this bird is known, are applied in imitation of it sharp, 

 quick and rather petulant cry. From its terrestial habits and con- 

 spicuous chestnut colored sides, has arisen the name of Ground Robin, 

 which, although much less appropriate than any of those previously 

 mentioned, is nevertheless the one by which it is best known in East- 

 ern Pennsylvania. The Towhee, an indefatigable seed and insect 

 hunter, spends most of his time on the ground, in thickets and brush 

 piles, hunting among the withered leaves and dead twigs. Its rust- 

 ling scratch is often the only indication one will have of its presence. 

 In addition to various small seeds and insects, Chewinks feed, also, 

 more or less, in the late summer, autumn and winter, on different 

 kinds of small fruits and berries. Occasionally, it is said, they visit 

 potato vines and other plants on which the destructive Colorado 

 potato beetle feeds, and devour many of these troublesome u bugs." 



GENUS CARDINALIS. BONAPARTE. 

 593. Cardinalis cardinalis (LiNN.). 



Cardinal. 



DESCRIPTION. (Plate 84.} 



Both sexes have long and conspicuous crests and brown eyes and legs. 



Adult male. Bill, in life, bright red ; body generally light vermillion red, darker 

 on the upper parts ; feathers of hind neck, back, rump and upper tail coverts edged 

 with ashy ; feathers in front of eyes, around base of bill, chin and throat deep black. 



