XV 
THE TANAGER FAMILY 
(Tanagride) * 
Turs is a large family of between three and 
four hundred species, all dressed in gay colors. 
But we have only three of them in our country. 
Their home is in the warmer parts of the world. 
We have the scarlet tanager in the East, the 
Louisiana tanager in the West, and the summer 
tanager in the South. Tanagers are a little 
larger than sparrows, and live in the trees. 
They feed on insects and fruit; sometimes, it is 
said, on flowers. 
The Scartet TanaceR is the brilliant red 
bird with black wings and tail, common all over 
the Eastern and Middle States. His mate is 
dressed in modest olive green, and the nestlings 
are like her the first year. 
The tanager himself wears his gay dress only 
during the nesting season, that is, spring and 
1 See Appendix, 13. 
