He varies his habits to suit his surroundings, and roves about after the nesting season; in mild climates he sings for six months of the year--from March until August.

But one of the strangest things about him is that he wanders most when the trees are bare and he can be so easily seen that hundreds of his kind are shot for their gay feathers, or trapped to sell alive for cage birds.

When snow is on the ground he is very conspicuous." "Why doesn't he get into evergreens or cedar bushes ?" asked Rap.
"He does when he can and often sings when so hidden; but he is not a very quick-witted bird and seems to move awkwardly, as if his topknot were as heavy as a drum major's bearskin.
"But no one can find fault with his song; it first rings out loud like a shout, then ends as clearly as the bubbling of the stream near which he likes best to live--'Cheo-cheo-chehoo-cheo-qr-qr-qrr-r-r.'" "Isn't it time to let them out ?" whispered Dodo.

"Mrs.Cardinal is coughing again dreadfully!" "In a moment.

Turn the cage sideways, Nat, so that we can watch them through the bushes--so, and please keep quite still.