262 THE SCARLET TAN ACER. 



off, and soon returned with food in his bill, and continued 

 to feed it till after sunset, taking up his lodgings on the 

 higher branches of the same tree. In the morning, almost 

 as soon as day broke, he was again seen most actively- 

 engaged in the same affectionate manner; and, notwith- 

 standing the insolence of the Orioles, continued his benev- 

 olent offices the whole day, roosting at night as before. On 

 the third or fourth day he appeared extremely solicitous 

 for the liberation of his charge, using every expression of 

 distressful anxiety, and every call and invitation that nature 

 had put in his power for him to come out. This was toa 

 much for the feelings of my venerable friend; he procured 

 a ladder, and, mounting to the spot where the bird was 

 suspended, opened the cage, took out the prisoner, and 

 restored him to liberty and to his parent, who, with notes of 

 great exultation, accompanied his flight to the woods. The 

 happiness of my good friend was scarcely less complete, 

 and showed itself in his benevolent countenance; and I 

 could not refrain saying to myself: If such sweet sensations 

 can be derived from a single circumstance of this kind, how 

 exquisite — how unspeakably rapturous — must the delight 

 of those individuals have been, who have rescued their 

 fellow-beings from death, chains, and imprisonment, and 

 restored them to the arms of friends and relations! Surely 

 in such God-like actions virtue is its own most abundant 

 reward." 



In time of cherries, when the family is absent, and every- 

 thing is quiet, the Tanager may come even into the door- 

 yard to vary his insect diet with this fruit, so highly in favor 

 with the birds. 



Late in summer, or early in autumn, the families move 

 south, the old male having changed his coat of scarlet for 

 one of green, sometimes quite a little spotted with yellow, 



