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m T H E VIRGINIAN C/VRDiNAL.
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Cardinaiis cardhialis, LiNN".
r r i T I IS -cry handsome GroS^jeak iiiliaiiits i'-e Eastern llnited States, northwards
to New Jersey and the Ohio Valley, westwards to the plains. The colouring
of the upper surface, including 'he wing-coverts, is browaisli lake red, with ashy
edges to the feathers ; the remaining wing-feathers somewhat dusky, with brick-red
outer webs whicli bccome paler towards the tips ; front of head, crest, cheeks and
under sir-fnce lirigiit ••i.s)' scarlet; a black patch commencing in a narfov.' frontal
band enclosing the upper mandible, expanding at the base of the beak laterally,
so as partly to cncircle tlie eve and terniii :!iing in a broad patch on the chin and
throat: tail feathers below rosy brown, sometimes inclining to greyish ; beak orangevemiillioii
•. iris of eye hazel ; legs dark greyish brown. Length 8,', inches.
The lieu IS quite unlike the cock ; above pale olive-brown, paler on the
foreh.cad ; tiit- crest, outer webs of primaries, greater wing-coverts, centre porlion
of secpmcvrics. tail leathers and tl,iglis back red': the secondones and tail feathers
broacil)- edged with pale oli\'e br>j-iv-n; under surface of wings rosy red : tips of
primaries and tail vtry pale brown ; quills dark brown , cheeks, breast and sides
pale ochi-e Ijrown. becoming paler towards the abdomen; a narrow frontal band,
the chin and throat slate-grcy : legs paler than in the male. -"{.th inches.
Tiiree races of this species have been distinguished bv :ej«.rutc names. Dr.
Sharp«- thus speaks of them • Catalogue of Birds' vol. -x.i, p- "The Red
Carrli'ials offer an instance, not very common anion ft birds, of .i genus wherein
the males are ail nearly alike, and the specific characters deiient! upon the female
sex. " The ordinar\- species of Anierica, L. tardinain. is the E.\'pical form, and the
others can hardh- be considered wortliv of moix; tr.aii subsijecific rank, as in the
males the dif^;reuce consists in intensity t>f colour and a .slight variation in size.
Those from more tropical localities appear to want the grey margins j o the feathers,
which are always observable in C (ardinaUs, accuxdU;^ to American wrters, though
I suspect that they are entirely lost in sunuuc , when the feathers become abraded,
V I R G I N I A N CARDINAL,3,$.
(C ardi.nouUs Coirdinalis.j
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