146 
CARDINAL GROSBEAK. 
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 youn- 
ger, 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 
road sides and fences I found them hovering in half dozens to- 
gether, associated with snow birds and various kinds of spar- 
rows. 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 hol- 
lows 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 ap- 
ples, 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 vio- 
lent engagements for their favourite females. Early in May in 
Pennsylvania they begin to prepare their nest, which is very 
often fixed in a hollow, 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 represented in the figure; and they 
usually raise two brood in the season. These birds are rarely 
raised from the nest for singing, being so easily taken in trap 
cages, and soon domesticated. By long confinement, and per- 
haps unnatural food, they are found to fade in colour, becoming 
of a pale whitish red. If well taken care of, however, they will 
live to a considerable age. There is at present in Mr. Peale’s 
