. Handbook of nature-study for teachers and parents, based on the Cornell nature-study leaflets. Nature study. Bird Study 133. The cardinal grosbeak. After Audubon Leaflet No. 18. THE CARDINAL GROSBEAK Teacher's Story There never lived a Lord Cardinal who possessed robes of state more brilliant in color than the plumage of this bird. By the way, I wonder how many of us ever think when we see the peculiar red, called cardinal, that it gained its name from the dress of this high functionaryof the church ? The cardinal grosbeak is the best name for the redbird because that describes it exactly, b
. Handbook of nature-study for teachers and parents, based on the Cornell nature-study leaflets. Nature study. Bird Study 133. The cardinal grosbeak. After Audubon Leaflet No. 18. THE CARDINAL GROSBEAK Teacher's Story There never lived a Lord Cardinal who possessed robes of state more brilliant in color than the plumage of this bird. By the way, I wonder how many of us ever think when we see the peculiar red, called cardinal, that it gained its name from the dress of this high functionaryof the church ? The cardinal grosbeak is the best name for the redbird because that describes it exactly, both as to its color and its chief characteristic, since its beak is thick and large; the beak is also red, which is a rare color in beaks, and in order to make its redness more emphatic it is set m a frame of black feathers. The use of such a large beak is unmistakable, for it is strong enough to crush the hardest of seed shells or to crack the hardest and driest of grains. "What cheer! What cheer! That ii the grosbeak's way, With his sooty face and his coat of red" sings Maurice Thompson. But besides the name given above, this bird has been called in different localities the redbird, Virginia redbird, crested redbird, winter redbird, Virginia nightingale, the red corn-cracker, but it remained for James Lane Allen to give it another name in his masterpiece, "The Kentucky ; The cardinal is a trifle smaller than the robin and is by no means slim and graceful, like the catbird or the scarlet tanager, but is quite stout and is a veritable chunk of brilliant color and bird dignity. The only other bird that rivals him in redness is the scarlet tanager which has black wings; the summer tanager is also a red bird, but is not so vermilion and is more slender and lacks the crest. The cardinal surely finds his crest useful in expressing his emotions; when all is serene, it lies back flat on the head, but with any excitement, whether of joy or surprise or anger
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