86 
The Virginian Cardinal, 
nnml)ers. I may say at once that, in my opinion, there are few 
birds indeed that can equal the brilHant Cardinalis z'irgiiiiauKS 
as an inhai^itant of the aviary, whether considered from the point 
of view of beauty, interest, or inteUigence. The general hue of 
the plumage is, of course, red, the tint varying from rose pink 
to the brightest carmine. For the benefit of those unacquainted 
with the bird I append a description taken from Dr. Butler's 
well known work : — 
Male. Upper surface, including wing coverts, brownish 
lake red with ashy edges to the feathers ; remaining wing 
feathers somewhat dusky, with 1 rick-red outer webs, becoming 
paler towards the tips; front of head, crest, cheeks and under 
surface bright rosy scarlet; a black patch commencing in a 
narrow frontal band, enclosing the upper mandible, expanding 
at the base of the beak laterally, so as partly to enclose eyes, 
and terminating in a broad patch on the chin and throat; tail 
feathers below rosy brown, sometimes inclining to greyish; beak 
orange vermillion; iris of eyes hazel; legs dark greyish brown; 
length eight and eight-tenths inches. 
Female. The hen is quite unlike the cock; above 
pale olive brown, paler on the forehead; the crest, outer web of 
primaries, greater wing-coverts, centre portion of secondaries, 
and tail feathers, broadly edged with pale olive brown; under 
surface of wings rosy red; tips of primaries and tail very pale 
brown ; quills dark brown ; cheeks, breast and sides pale ochre 
brown, becoming paler towards the abdomen ; a narrow frontal 
band, the chin and throat slatey grey; legs paler than in male; 
length inches. 
In a wild state the Virginian Cardinal has a wide range 
through the American continent, extending from Ontario to 
Florida, and from the Atlantic coast to the plains of Kansas. 
It frequents, particularly, the i eighbourhood of thickets and 
woods, and nests in tangled shrubberies and undergrowth, or in 
a vine or thick tree, the yew and cedar being favourites. The 
nest is usually placed fairly low clown, commonly about 6ft. from 
the ground and is loosely though well constructed of twigs. 
