BIRDS OF MANY FAMILIES 209 



sticks and fibres, placed on a horizontal limb of 

 oak or hemlock at considerable distance from 

 the ground. The male is very solicitous of the 

 welfare of his mate during the period of incuba- 

 tion, feeding her, and at times spelling her. 

 When the fledglings appear, both parents care 

 for them. 



The song of this Tanager has been likened to 

 the songs of the Robin, Rose-breasted Grosbeak 

 and Baltimore Oriole, and there is an element of 

 similarity. But the likeness is only slight after 

 all, for he has his own lay. It is not clear like 

 the Robin's, but is rather hoarse, "a monoto- 

 nous 'chip, chiirr,'' repeated at short intervals, in 

 a pensive tone. " There is about the Tanager's 

 song a distinctive quality that renders it so 

 attractive that one could enjoy him as a neigh- 

 bor for his song alone; this with his gorgeous 

 dress makes him one of the most admired of 

 the summer host. 



I usually find the Scarlet Tanager in second- 

 growth woods and bush-grown tracts, some- 

 times in the orchard where their fire red makes 

 a striking picture when seen amid the blossom- 

 ing trees. Formerly they were much more com- 

 mon than now, as they have fallen prey to the 

 feather hunters who sought their poor bodies 

 to adorn ladies' hats. With the enacting of 

 laws in nearly all of the States, looking to 

 the better protection of bird life, the Tanager 

 has again become more common with us. They 

 range in summer from the Ohio River and Vir- 

 ginia northward to the St. Lawrence and Man- 

 itoba, wintering in the tropics. They are more 



