SCARLin' T.VNAGER. .-^O-') 



Color. Adult mala in spring. Uniform vcrmiliicn rod, d;iri<er above, brif^htcst on the head and 

 lighter below. Inner wchs of wing feathers and tips of primaries brownish. Female at all seasons and 

 male iii winter Olive-green abrive, more ^yellowish beneath. Wings, brown as in the sprinir male. 



Young of both se.xes, siniihir to the female, but more ochrey below. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Adult male readily known by the uniform color. Tiie female differs from the Scarlet Tanager in 

 having a larger bill and in being more yellowish below. The male of tlie second year i^ frejueiith- marked 

 in patches with the green of tlie preceding year. Distributed in summer tliroughout southern Unite 1 

 States, wintering in South America. 



DIMExNSIONS. 



Average measurements of nine specimens from Florida. Length, 7.18; stretch, U.S."), wino'. 3.G0 ; 

 tail, 3.00;bill, .72; tarsus, 71. Longest specimen, 7.80: greatest e.xtentcf wings, 12. 12; longest wing, 3.00 . 

 tail, o. 10; bill, .80; tarsus, .7;'). Shortest specimen, 7.00; smallest extent of wings, IL.jO; shortest win"' 

 oAo ; tail, 2.L(0; bill, .(i."i ; tarsus, .tJ6. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



The following is a description of a specimen taken at Mt. Carmel, Illinois, by Mr. R. Ridgway, who has 

 kindly written it out for me : — 



"Nest, deeply saucer-shaped, the walls very thin, four inches wide by two and one half deep 

 externally, and three by two internally. Composed entirely of fine wire grasses, the lining of grass tops. 

 Situated at the extremity of a horizontal braneli of an apple tree in orchard." 



Eggs, four in number, oval in form, blue in color, spotted and blotched with reddish-brown and umber. 

 Dimensions from .85 by .70 to .iiO by .75. 



HABITS. 



When the cold north winds cease to hlow uml tlic air in the piny wood.s is redolent 

 with the i3erfume of the sandew, creeping mimo.Sii, and other dehcate plants, whicli oiilv 

 bloom, even in this mild climate, late in spring, the voices of the Smnmer Tanagers are 

 heard in the tops of the high trees, when their songs are full of wild melody in perfect 

 keeping with the surroundings. I have never met with these birds elsewhere than in the 

 more open woods of the pine barrens, where they are solitary, shy and retiring. Indeed, 

 so closely do they conceal themselves in the thick foliage, tliat, were it not for the loud 

 song notes, which are constantly repeated, it would be dilficult to discover them. The 

 males arrive al)Out April first and are soon followed hy the females. I have never found 

 a nest of this species, but judge that in Florida they must build in the tops of the pme 

 trees. Mr. Ridgway, wlio is familiar with the breeding habits of this species iu Illinois, 

 writes me that, "The nest is usually situated at the extremity of the horizontal branch of 

 an oak or hickory tree, generally by the roadside, or in an open." The Summer Tanagors 

 have all left Florida by the end of October. 



PYRANGA ERYTHROMELAS. 

 Scarlet Tanager. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sp. Ch. Foith about the same as that of the Summer Tanager but the bill is smaller. Adult male in 

 summer, bright scarlet, with the wings and tail black. Adult female, greenish ; darker above, much 



