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lie will be quite tame, as he is naturally a gentle, 

 amiable bird, though like most Tanagers he is very 

 timid. 



His call note is somewhat plaintive and heard 

 more often than from the majority of Tanagers in 

 captivity — sometimes long after it has been dark. 

 The first two or three times I heard it in the night I 

 was afraid there must be a panic in the birdroom, but 

 on taking a light in, found everything quiet, and the 

 Black-l)acked Tanager hopping cheerfully about as if 

 it was daylight. He has never sung with me yet, so I 

 cannot say what his song is like, but judging from his 

 call note I should think it is after Llie style of a wheel 

 that wants greasing. 



Another peculiarity he has is to use a plate. He 

 lias a piece of cuttlefish bone fixed crossways between 

 the wires of his cage, and every tit-bit he gels he 

 carries up to eat on this. It is very funny to see him 

 in the morning, when he gets his fresh food, carefully 

 selecting an ant's cocoon and carrying it up there to 

 eat — it at least ensures a good deal of exercise. He is 

 rather fanciful over his bathing, and thinks if he has a 

 thorough soaking, it ought to last two or three days if 

 he just washes his face in the water pot on the other 

 mornings. 



When I exhibited the Black-backed Tanager at 

 the Crystal Palace Show last season, it was the first 

 time one had ever been seen on the show bench, and 

 he was much admired there, although he was by no 

 means in perfect condition. As he was not very steady 

 he had knocked his tail about in the show cage on the 

 way, but since he is much quieter now I hope this will 

 not happen again. 



The Black-backed Tanager comes from Southern 

 Brazil, which ought to class him among the hardiest 

 of the Tanagers, but in my experience Tanagers that 

 subsist chiefly upon fruit are not the longest lived. 



