RED-BREASTED BLACKBIRD. 
tions of the same leaves. It is fixed, generally, 
in the loftiest trees. The Female lays two eU 
liptical eggs ; which are white^ and covered at 
the thick end with small spots of light red^ 
which melts away as it approaches the other 
end. Some nomenclators," adds Balfon, 
have given this bird the name of Cardinal, 
but improperly; others have supposed, that 
there i? an obvious variety in this species. In 
Mauduit's Cabinet, we saw a bird, the plumage 
of which v^^as rose-colour variegated wath grey. 
I am rather incHned to think, that this dilFe- 
rence is occasioned by moulting." 
' The description given by Edwards is as fol- 
lows — This bird," says he, " is drawn from 
a dried specimen brought from Surinam. It is 
most extraordinary for the strufture of it's bill, 
the lower mandible of which reaches very far 
into the sides of the head, and is broader and 
thicker than the base of the upper mandible. 
The bill is pretty thick, and large, in proportion 
to the bird : and of a black or dusky colour ; 
except the broad bases of the lower mandible, 
which are of a blueish ash-colour. Tiie nostrils 
are placed at the base of the upper mandible, 
joining 
