WOOD NOTES WILD. 75 



Still, like other birds, he had his variations : — 



These were all June songs, the last two being sung late 

 in the afternoon. 



Though the singer's home was in the near woods, we 

 did not discover the nest of his mate. Erelong there 

 came a time of silence, and an absence of flaming plu- 

 mage; and finally, a family of tanagers, undoubtedly 

 ours, — male and female and three unfinished young 

 tanagers of a neutral olive tint, — were about our 

 grounds in the last days of August, evidently prepar- 

 ing to leave for their home in the tropics. The 

 husband and father had doffed both his "singing-robe" 

 and his garment of scarlet, and wore in silence a 

 travelling-dress of mixed pea-green and willow-yellow. 

 More desirous than ever to avoid notice, there was 

 about him a most captivating air of quietness and 

 modesty. 



