TANAGRID.E THE TANAGEES. 215 



The single genus of Tanagridae, which properly finds a place in 

 this work, is one of the most typical of the whole family, and in- 

 cludes two of our most brilliant songsters. 



GENUS PIRANGA VIEILLOT. 



Piranga VIEILL. Ois. Am. Sept. i, 1807, iv. Type, Muscicapa rubra LINN. 



GEN. CHAR. Bill sub-conical and rather cylindrical, the culmen moderately curved, 

 especially toward the tip; maxillary tomium distinctly notched near the tip, and often 

 with a more or less distinct tooth near the middle. Wings rather long (decidedly longer 

 than the tail) ; primaries nine, the four outer ones longest. Tail moderate, distinctly 

 emarginate; tarsus rather short (about equal to or but little longer than the culmen), the 

 middle toe shorter, or about equal to the length of the bill from the nostril to the tip. 

 Colors chiefly or partly bright red in the adult male, olive-greenish above and yellowish 

 below in the female. 



The three species occurring in eastern North America (one of 

 them an accidental straggler from the West), may be distinguished 

 as follows: 



A. Wings without distinct light bands or other markings ; adult males with entire body 



red. 



1. P. rubra. Adult male: Vermilion-red, the wings and tail similar but, with other 

 upper parts, duller than the lower parts. Adult female: Ochraceous olive above, 

 ochraceous yellow beneath; sometimes tinged, both above and below, with dull 



. red. Young male: Like the female, but more or less patched with red, according 

 to age. 



2. P. erythromelas. Adult male: .Rich scarlet, with deep black wings and tail; the 

 former sometimes with red on the wing-coverts. Adult female: Above grayish 

 olive-green, beneath light greenish yellow. Young male: Similar to the female, 

 but (except in first plumage) with black wings and tail, the red appearing in 

 patches with advancing age. 



B. Wings with two light yellowish bands. 



3. P. ludoviciana. Adult male: Back, wings, and tail black, the wings with two yel- 

 low bands; rest of plumage gamboge- yellow, the head red (varying from orange- 

 red to crimson). Adult female: Wings and tail dusky grayish, the wing-bands 

 less distinct; back grayish, or olive-green; lower parts greenish yellow; head 

 greenish above, yellowish beneath. Young male: Similar to female, but the wings 

 and tail darker, the rest of the plumage deeper yellowish, and head more or less 

 tinged with red. 



Piranga erythromelas Vieill. 



SCAELET TANAGEE 



Popular synonym. Black-winged Eedbird. 



Tanagra rubra LINN. S. N. ed. 12, i, 1766, 314 (nee. ed. 10, i, 1758, 181). WILS. Am. Orn. ii, 

 1810, 42, pi. 11, figs. 3, 4 NHTT. Man. i, 1832, 465. AUD. Orn. Biog. iv, 1838. 388, pi. 354. 

 figs. 3, 4. 

 Piranga rubra VIEILL. Ois. Am. Sept. i, 1807, iv, pi. 1, fig. 12. 



