CARDINAL GROSBEAK. 
189 
in song from March to September, beginning at the first 
appearance of dawn, and repeating a favourite stanza, or 
passage, twenty or thirty times successively ; sometimes, with 
little intermission, for a whole morning together, which, like a 
good story too often repeated, becomes at length tiresome and 
insipid. But the sprightly figure, and gaudy plumage, of the 
Red Bird, his 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 Cartliagena. 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 
