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Tanagers I shall unfortunatel}'^ never be able to write. 

 The male bird died in August in the moult, but this 

 hen and another, I still have. 



There are many interesting characteristics *' of 

 this species I should like to point out, but unfortunately 

 space does not allow. I must not close, however, 

 without drawing attention to the very remarkable song 

 of this species. The weak warbling notes of the great 

 majority of the Tanagers can scarcely be dignified by 

 the name of song, but the Violet Tanager pours forth 

 a really remarkable flow of melody. Perched high on 

 the topmost spray of a tall shrub, with swelling throat 

 and wings dropped and quivering, just like our Eng- 

 lish Starling, he sends forth a long continued medley 

 of loud, joyous bubbling notes, intermixed with many 

 quaint Starling-like phrases and with some beautiful 

 clear flute-like tones. Were it not marred by what I 

 have called the " Starling-phrases" the song would be 

 really most melodious. 



In conclusion, I may say that I do not think there 

 is any insuperable difficulty in breeding the Violet 

 Tanager. What one chiefly needs is a fine summer, 

 and, secondl}', that which is after all the chief element 

 of success in breeding an}' foreign bird — a good large 

 fluke I I mean to try again. 



• Please supply these, if only in the form of a letter.— Ed. 



