Loxia cardinalis, LINNÆUS; Cardinal huppé, ou Rossignol de
Virginie, BUFFON; Der Cardinal Kernbeisser, BECHSTEIN.
The length of this bird is eight inches, of which the tail measures
three. Its beak is strong and light red, like its feet; the iris is dark
brown; the head is ornamented with a tuft, which, when raised, is
pointed; the throat and the part round the beak are black; the rest of
the body is of a beautiful bright red; the pen and tail-feathers are
less brilliant, and brown on the anterior part.
The female is in general of a reddish brown.
OBSERVATIONS.--The beautiful song of this grosbeak is so like that of
the nightingale, that this name has been given it; but its voice is
so strong that it pierces the ears. It sings through the whole year,
except during the time of moulting.
In its wild state, its principal food is the seed of the Indian corn
and buck-wheat; it collects a considerable quantity of this food,
which it skilfully covers with leaves and twigs, only leaving a very
small hole, as the entrance to this magazine. In the cage it is fed
with millet, rape seed, hemp seed, and the like, which agree with it
very well.
Some persons have endeavoured to make it breed in large aviaries in
the middle of gardens, but I do not know that it has ever succeeded.
In Germany it is very dear, being as much as six or eight pounds
sterling for a pair.