50 



His song, which he sings sitting on a high picture 

 frame, is quite pretty, tliough sometimes rather as if 

 he had a sore throat, but his funniest tricks are in 

 front of a looking glass. He sits on a clock singing 

 to his own reflection and then suddenly a jealous 

 mood appears and he flies up hitting at himself with 

 his beak and screaming what I conclude is meant for 

 vile abuse. He is, I regret to say, not over fond of 

 a bath, though my Goldcrest always sets a good 

 example, but two or three times a week he indulges 

 in a real wash. In eating mealworms, he chews them 

 so that all the inside is squeezed out and then swallows 

 the skin that is left, so as to obtain all the taste 

 possible. Very amiable towards all lesser birds, 

 allowing them to enter his cage and eat his food. 

 SCARI^ET Tanager {Rhaniphoccclus brasilius). 

 What a difference between this bird and the 

 Superb ! Quiet, shy, rather wild though very loveh', 

 he is really only a picture. He has no prelt}' ways and 

 he is very dirty, though he bathes every day. He will, 

 when let out retire to a high corner and sit there till 

 hunger drives him back to his cage. He prefers 

 banana and adores mealworms, is very gentle also 

 with other birds. [Many individuals are ver\^ P^ig- 

 nacious in a mixed series and need watching. — Ed.] 

 So far he has not sung ; though for his glorious 

 plumage I would always desire to keep him, still his 

 attractive qualities are not great. 



Blue Tanager (Ta7iagra episcopiis). 



He is to my mind one of the loveliest Tanagers 



and not very common. The exquisite soft blue-grey 



of its body plumage, with turquoise wings is perfect. 



He is a very gentle and quiet bird, not wild like the 



