Fringilla cardinalis, Bonap. Syn. p. 113.
Cardinal Grosbeak or Red Bird, Fringilla cardinalis, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 519.
Cardinal Grosbeak, Fringilla cardinalis, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 336; v. v. p. 514.
GENUS XVI. COCCOBORUS, Swains. SONG-GROSBEAK.
Bill rather short, extremely robust, almost as broad as the head and somewhat compressed, tapering to a point; upper mandible considerably smaller than the lower, with the dorsal line convex, the ridge indistinct, the nasal sinus very wide, the sides convex, the edges ascending for a third of their length, then direct, with a slight festoon, and inflected, the notches faint, the tip a little deflected, and narrow; lower mandible with the angle short and semicircular, the dorsal line straight, the sides at the base inflected, toward the end convex, the edges involute, the tip acute. Nostrils basal, round. Plumage somewhat compact, blended; distinct bristles at the base of the upper mandible. Wings of moderate length, pointed, the outer three quills nearly equal, the second longest. Tail of moderate length, slightly emarginate. Tarsus short, compressed, with seven scutella; toes moderate, hind toe stout, broad beneath, outer toe slightly longer than inner, and adherent at the base. Claws moderate, arched, compressed, acute. Upper mandible concave beneath, with three longitudinal ridges; tongue as high as broad, convex above, tapering to a point; oesophagus rather wide, dilated about the middle; stomach rather small, roundish, compressed, with its muscles distinct and of moderate thickness, the epithelium longitudinally rugous; intestine short, and of moderate width; coeca very small.
204. 1. Coccoborus coeruleus, Linn. Blue Song-Grosbeak.
Male blue; with the lores, chin, and a line round the base of the mandibles black; wings and tail brownish-black, the latter and the primaries edged with blue, the first row of small coverts and the secondary coverts tipped with reddish-brown. Female with the head and hind part of the back blue; the fore part of the back brown, the wings and tail as in the male, the lower parts light greyish-brown, the sides, and fore part of the neck and the breast tinged with blue. Young yellowish-brown, lighter beneath; the upper part of the head, the back, smaller wing-coverts, and upper tail-coverts tinged with dusky.