16 
ZOOLOGY. 
feather, except the two middle ones, being slightly tipped on the inner margin of the point with white. Lower parts white with 
ongitudinal spots of dark brown covering the sides, flanks, and breast. A moustache of small brown spots from angle of lower 
mandible, running down the neck and joining in with those of the breast. A line over the eye of rusty white. Auriculars light 
brown. The young male in the fall resembles the female, but takes on the livery of the adult the following spring. 
This bird was first observed on approaching the Pirnos villages, associated with large flocks 
of sparrows, gleaning grain and grass seed from the ground. When started it would fly but a 
short distance before again resuming its occupation. After crossing the San Pedro river I found 
it in large flocks, having killed fourteen at one shot. At Fort Fillmore, in Mesilla valley, it is 
quite common, and associates with the cow-bird and black-bird, searching for grain amongst 
the stable offals. Again I met it in Texas during the month of April, having seen, however, 
but one male bird in full spring plumage, the others still retaining their winter coat or only 
commencing to take on their spring livery. While travelling some years ago towards the 
Pocky mountains, I found it quite abundant on the Platte river. The male bird is often seen 
rising in the air with a tremulous fluttering motion of the wings, very much after the manner 
of our reed bird, (Dolichonyx oryzivora ,) singing the while, and until again alighting, a discon¬ 
nected but not unmusical chant. The nest, placed on the ground, is formed of fine grasses 
lined with hair, and contains four to five pale blue eggs. Although I found many of them, in 
one instance only were they spotted with faint red dashes. 
PYREHULOXIA SINUATA, B o n a p .—Texian Cardinal Bird. 
Cardinalis sinuatus , Bon. Proceed. Zool. Soc. of London, 1837, p. 111.— Cassin’s B. of Cal. and Tex. p. 204, pi. 33. 
Pyrrhuloxia sinuata, Baird, Gen. Eep. IX, 1858, 508. 
Sp. Ch. — Male .—General color of upper parts dark ash. Throat, breast, thighs, under wing coverts, and the centre of 
abdomen down to vent, light bright carmine, deeper on the throat. Sides of abdomen and flanks slaty gray. An elongated 
crest front, around, and under the eyes; primaries and upper part of tail bright rich brownish red, the two central tail feathers 
having a slight green reflection, while the edges and tips of the tertiaries and the tips of the primaries are tinted with brown ash. 
Under part of tail brighter than upper part, with a reflection of grayish lead and tipped with lead color. Bill yellow, the upper 
one having a dusky tinge. Feet flesh color. Length 8 inches. 
Female .—Chin dusky white. Under parts down to vent rusty ash, darker on flanks and sides. Around the eyes, at base of 
upper mandible, an indistinct blotch, on upper part of throat and another at middle of abdomen, pale carmine. Crest smaller 
than the male. In its other markings and colorings like the male. 
This species in its form and habits is closely allied to the Cardinals, but the formation of 
the bill differs so much in the two that Bonaparte has placed it in the sub-genus Pyrrhuloxia . 
Instead of, as in the Cardinal, the nearly equal mandibles, the culmen slightly rounded and 
arched to the tip, which is acute, we find in this species the lower mandible much broader and 
larger, the gonys rising very abruptly and the culmen very much rounded and arched as in the 
genus Pyrrhula. We met the first specimen of this bird in a dry canon a little to the east of 
the crossing of San Pedro river, perched on a bush, and seeming wearied and lost; probably a 
wanderer, as no more were observed until we reached Ei Paso. Here we found it everywhere 
among the hedges and trees, and continued to see it occasionally on our road until we left 
civilization behind us. It is said to be quite common on the Rio Grande and in Mexico. Raising 
its crest erect as it moves actively about in search of food, it emits at intervals a clear plaintive 
whistle, varied by a few detached notes. 
