2 MAY 1931, Page 19

THE RED BIRD IN THE GREEN PARK

[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—The cardinal bird of Mauritius, mentioned by your correspondent, W. H. Whiting (page 667), would be the Madagascar Weaver, which has been introduced into several islands in the eastern tropics ; it is rather smaller than a sparrow. The true cardinal of America, which is about as big as a thrush, has some black on the face ; the scarlet tanagers (there are two very distinct species, one North America, the other, as I said, Brazilian) have black wings and tails, and so are only half red. I should have thought the Green Park bird was the true cardinal had I not met the