Photographing the Scarlet Tanager 



207 



the young were almost ready to leave. So we arranged them on a convenient 

 branch and set up our cameras so as to get the old birds feeding them. The 

 female readily fed them in this new location and the male also came with his 

 insect offering. Our only trouble was in keeping the young on the branch. 

 One insisted upon climbing on the back of another, with the result that both 

 usually fell off and we were kept busy replacing them. The female readily fed 

 a young bird held in one's hand, and later when we tried holding all of the 

 young out at arm's length, she fed them there. A handful of Scarlet Tanagers ! 

 The male, however, could not be induced to feed them in what he doubtless 

 considered to be such a dangerous proximity. At times he approached within 

 a foot of the extended hand but lost his courage at the last moment. Both 

 behaved splendidly and we took a good many pictures of them. 



Our time was limited, and so we placed the young back in the nest, and 

 with a feeling of mingled joy and wonder that such perfectly wild birds could 

 be so confiding, started homeward. 



FEMALE SCARLET TANAGER AND YOUNG 



