Cardinals are remarkable for the extreme sweetness of their song, and,
in my opinion, would far exceed the canary birds of our country, were
they able to trill like them. From the shining purple of their feathers
they have obtained the name of cardinals. The top of the head alone is
adorned with a small black crest, like a little hat. They are about the
size of a linnet. They fly in crowds to the most barren fields, where
there are more thistles than grass, and are easily caught by boys, who
will give you four or five cardinals in exchange for a single needle, in
the city of Corrientes. I have seen cardinals resembling the rest in
other respects, but much larger, being equal in size to a starling.