CARDINAL GROSBEAK. i%g 



red bird, liis vivacity, strength of voice, and actual variety of 

 note, and the little expense with which he is kept, will always 

 make him a favourite. 



This species, like the mocking bird, is more numerous to 

 the east of the great range of the Alleghany Mountains, and 

 inhabits from New England to Carthagena. Michaux the 

 younger, son to the celebrated botanist, informed me that he 

 found this bird numerous in the Bermudas. In Pennsylvania 

 and the northern States, it is rather a scarce species ; but 

 through the whole lower parts of the southern States, in the 

 neighbourhood of settlements, I found them much more 

 numerous ; their clear and lively notes, in the months of 

 January and February, being, at that time, almost the only 

 music of the season. Along the roadsides and fences I found 

 them hovering in half-dozens together, associated with snow 

 birds, and various kinds of sparrows. In the northern States, 

 they are migratory ; but in the lower parts of Pennsylvania, 

 they reside during the whole year, frequenting the borders of 

 creeks and rivulets, in sheltered hollows, covered with holly, 

 laurel, and other evergreens. They love also to reside in the 

 vicinity of fields of Indian-corn, a grain that constitutes their 

 chief and favourite food. The seeds of apples, cherries, and 

 of many other sorts of fruit, are also eaten by them ; and they 

 are accused of destroying bees. 



In the months of March and April, the males have many 

 violent engagements for their favourite females. Early in 

 May, in Pennsylvania, they begin to prepare their nest, 

 which is very often fixed in a holly, cedar, or laurel bush. 

 Outwardly, it is constructed of small twigs, tops of dry weeds, 

 and slips of vine bark, and lined with stalks of fine grass. 

 The female lays four eggs, thickly marked all over with 

 touches of brownish olive, on a dull white ground, as repre- 

 sented in the figure ; and they usually raise two broods in the 

 season. These birds are rarely raised from the nest for sing- 

 ing, being so easily taken in trap cages, and soon domesticated. 

 By long confinement, and perhaps unnatural food, they are 



