370 
FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 
The cardinals are the most striking of chaparral birds where they 
occur. Seen against a background of dingy brush their red plumage 
fairly glows in the sun till you are led to marvel at its brilliancy. 
Then how their loud whistle pierces the air ! How exquisitely 
rounded comes their cue-cue , and with what force follows the rapid 
hip -ip-ip-ip-ip-ip-ip. 
593a. C. c. superbus Ridgw. Arizona Cardinal. 
Adult male. — Top of head and long crest brilliant red; lores and 
chin black, black of lores not connected across forehead unless by narrow- 
black line ; rest of under parts brilliant red ; back dull red washed with 
gray ; wings and tail dark red ; bill very heavy. Adult female: crest, wings, 
and tail partly red; under parts dark buffy, chest tinged with red ; lores 
and chin gray; forehead dull yellowish mixed with red ; back dull gray; 
under wing coverts bright rose. Young: similar to adult female, but colors 
duller ; bill blackish. Male: length (skins) 8.40-9.00, wing 3.92-4.11, tail 
4.07-5.00, bill .80-.89. Female: length (skins) 7.85-8.30, wing 3.79-4.00, 
tail 4.48-4.75, bill .82. 
Remarks. — Superbus differs from cardinalis in larger size, relatively 
shorter bill, pale red of male, and broken ring around bill. 
Distribution. — From southern Arizona south to Sonora, Mexico. 
The Arizona, like the eastern cardinals, are birds of the thickets 
and brush patches, making themselves known by brilliant flashes of 
color and their rollicking, spirited song. At Phoenix they build in 
the thickets just out of town, and, though shy birds, seem not to 
object to civilization. Vernon Bailey. 
593c. C. c. canicaudus Chapm. Gray-tailed Cardinal. 
Male similar to cardinalis , but with less conspicuous black frontlet; 
female averaging grayer than female of cardinalis , and with the tail feath¬ 
ers broadly margined with gray instead of olive brown. Male: iength 
(skins) 7.60-8.60, wing 3.48-3.80, tail 3.85-4.38, bill .71-.82. Female: 
length (skins) 7.00-8.20, wing 3.22-3.67, tail 3.58-4.12, bill .70-.80. 
Distribution. — From Texas south to Central Mexico. 
GENUS PYRKHUIiOXIA. 
General Characters. — Head with conspicuous crest; bill very short, 
thick, and deep, culmen convex; wing short, much rounded; tail long, 
rounded. 
KEY TO ADULT MALES. 
1. Ring around bill conspicuously marked with black . texana, p. 371. 
l'.Ring around bill rose red. sinuata, p. 370. 
594. Pyrrhuloxia sinuata Bonap. Arizona Pyrrhuloxia. 
Bill short and parrot-like, yellow or orange in summer, duller in winter. 
Adult male : ring around bill, throat, breast patch, thighs, and under side 
of wing light rose red; lateral under parts light gray ; tip of crest darker 
red; ring around bill with only faint trace of black ; upper parts light gray 
tinged with brown; wings and tail blackish and dark red. Adult female : 
like male, but red of face and under parts wanting or only suggested; 
under parts buffy brown. Young male: like adult female, but paler, 
