CARDINAL GROSBEAK, OR RED-BIRD. 523 
and in a sinking, delicately plaintive tone. These phras- 
es were also answered in sympathy by the female, at a 
little distance up the meandering brook where they were 
engaged in collecting their food. In Florida, about the 
]2th of March, I heard a very fine Red Bird singing ’ivhittoo 
wittoo widoo ’ widdoo . He began low, almost in a whisper, 
but very clearly articulated, and gradually raised his voice 
to loudness, in the manner of the Nightingale. He now 
changed the strain into ’ victu , wilt wilt wilt ivilt ; then 
’ victu , tshooe ’tshooe tshdoe tshooe, afterwards tu tu ’victu, 
and victu tu tu, then varying ’ tshooee , &>c. in a lower key. 
On approaching this bird, to see and hear him more dis- 
tinctly, he exhibited his anger, by scolding in a hoarse 
tone almost like that of a squirrel, and from the season, 
and absence of respondence in the female, I imagine he 
already had a nest in the neighbouring thicket. The 
bird which frequented the Botanic Garden for several 
days, in the morning sang fearlessly and loudly, but at 
other times the pair hid themselves amongst the thickest 
bushes, or descended to the ground to feed among the 
grass and collect insects and worms ; now and then, 
however, in an under-tone, as if afraid of attracting no- 
tice, he whispered to his mate, teu teu teu, woit ’ wait ’ wait , 
elevating his tone of recognition a little at the close of 
the call, and going over other of the usual phrases in the 
same whispering and slenderly rising voice. About the 
4th of July, the same pair, apparently, paid us a parting 
visit, and the male sung with great energy, ’tv’ tw\ ’weto 
’ weto ’weto ’weto ’ weto wait , then waitup waitup waitup wax- 
tup, tshow tshow tshow tshoiv tshow. On whistling any of 
these notes within hearing of the Cardinal, a response is 
almost certain, as this affectionate recognition is fre- 
quently answered by the female. His phrase may also 
be altered at will, by whistling some other than that 
