PASSERES — FRINGILLIOE — PYRANGA. 175 



GENUS PYRANGA. Vieillot. 



Bill robust, moderate, compressed towards the end, trigonate and somewhat depressed at 

 the base ; the upper mandible with a festoon, forming an obtuse tooth on each side near 

 the middle : distinct bristles at the base. Tongue short, lacerated at the tip. The three 

 first primaries subequal, longest. Tail moderate, slightly emarginate. Female and young 

 differing much in plumage from the male. 



THE RED-BIRD. 



Pyranga .estiva. 



PLATE LXV. FIG. 148 (Male). 



(STATE COLLECTION.) 



Tanagra cestiva et mississippiensis, G.melin. 



Summer Tanager. Pennant, Arct. Zool. Vol. 2, p. 369. 



Morula flammula. Bartkam, Travels, p. 290 (Lis). 



Pyranga cestiva, Vieillot. Wilson, Am. Orn. Vol. 1, p. 95, pi. 6, fig. 3 and 4. Bonaparte, Ann. Lye. N. Y. 



Vol. 2, p. 105. Aud. fol. pi. 44. Nuttall, Man. Orn. Vol. 1, p. 409. Kiktland, Zool. 



Ohio, p. 183. Acdubon, B. of A. Vol. 3, p. 222, pi. 209. 



Characteristics. Vermilion red. Inner vanes and tips of the quills dusky. Tail nearly 

 even. Female and young, yellowish ; beneath brownish yellow. Young 

 male, spotted with green. Length, 1\ inches. 



Description. Bill rather short, but robust. Nostrils round, basal. Tail-feathers acute ; 

 second quill longest. 



Color. Entirely of a rich vermilion, except the inner vanes and tips of the quills. Bill 

 horn-colored above, bluish beneath. Legs dusky bluish. Iris hazel. Female, brownish 

 yellow olive above ; wing-coverts dusky, edged with yellow ; quills and tail deep brown, ex- 

 ternally edged with yellowish. Young, as in the male, but of a duller tint, and spotted with 

 green. 



Length, 7-0-7-5. Alar extent, 11'5-12 , 0. 



The Red-bird, or Summer Red-bird, comes to us from the South, but not in great numbers, 

 and only during the hottest part of the summer : it rarely passes east of this State. It is not 

 known to breed here. The eggs are of a light blue color. Feeds on insects, and more espe- 

 cially the larger beetles. It properly belongs to Mexico, and even farther south, and scarcely 

 remains within the limits of the United States (where it breeds) more than four months. 



