HABITATION.--When wild, it may be found in all the temperate parts of Europe and Russia. It is very common among the mountainous countries of Germany, where the beech prevails in the forests. It is rather an erratic bird than a bird of passage, and its excursions are ended in March. Sonnini says, however, that he has seen it during winter, in Egypt, with the blackbirds and thrushes, and its excursions are ended in March. In the house it is generally kept in a large wire cage, where it is soon tamed. It may also be let run about, provided it has not too many companions, and that it has food in abundance, for it is a very quarrelsome bird. FOOD.--In its wild state it eats many different things; the fruit of the beech, elm, ash, and maple; the berries of the juniper, service-tree, and white-thorn; cherries and plums, the stones of which it breaks with the greatest ease, to eat the kernel; hemp seed, cabbage, radish, and lettuce seed also form a part of its food. In the house, if confined in the cage, it is contented with rape and hemp-seed; and if it run about, with the second universal paste. BREEDING.--Its nest is well built; the eggs, from three to five in number, are greenish grey, spotted with brown, and streaked with blackish blue. The young, when reared from the nest, will become so tame as to eat from the hand, and will courageously defend itself with its beak against the dogs and cats; it may also be accustomed to go and come. MODE OF TAKING.--The haste with which these birds come on hearing the call, makes it very easy to catch them in the net, by throwing berries or hemp seed on the trap. In autumn and winter they may be taken by the noose, with service-berries; in spring they may be caught by placing lime twigs on the nest. The loss of their liberty does not prevent their eating immediately rape or hemp seed. ATTRACTIVE QUALITIES.--I confess that it has very few; its song is less agreeable than any of the others', it is a kind of low whistling, mixed with some harsh tones; but its great tameness may please; it is necessary, however, to guard one's self from its beak. THE CARDINAL GROSBEAK, OR VIRGINIAN NIGHTINGALE. 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.