TANAGRIDH, TANAGERS.—GEN. 43. 1G 
Family TANAGRIDA. Tanagers. 
An extensive, brilliant family, confined to America, abounding in species be- 
tween the tropics. Its position is a point at issue with ornithologists ; it may how- 
ever, not unnaturally follow the Cwrebide and Sylvicolide, though certainly no fam- 
ilies should stand between it and Fringillide. In fact certain tropical forms might 
be assigned to either indifferently. The best definition of the tanagers I have seen 
is that given by the distinguished ornithologist who called them ‘ dentirostral 
finches ;” but this important generalization, like other happy epigrams, is insuscep- 
tible of application in detail, and the tanagers remain to be precisely characterized. 
As a consequence, the number of species can hardly be approximately estimated ; 
but upwards of three hundred are usually enumerated. 
The single well established North American genus may be recognized, among all 
the birds of our country, by the combination of nine primaries and scutellate tarsi 
with a turgid bill, notched at the tip and toothed or lobed near the middle of the 
superior maxillary tomia ; though this last character is sometimes so obscure that it 
might be looked at without being seen. ‘The species of Pyranga are birds of bril- 
liant colors, with great seasonal and sexual differences of plumage. They are 
frugivorous and insectivorous, and consequently migratory in the United States. 
They inhabit woodland, lay 4-5 dark colored, speckled eggs, nest in trees, and are 
fair songsters. In distribution they are rather southerly, not passing northward 
beyond the United States. One species of another genus, Luphonia elegantissima, 
has been admitted to our fauna, but apparently upon insufficient evidence. 
43. Genus PYRANGA Vieillot. 
Scarlet Tanager. @ scarlet, with black wings and tail; bill and feet 
dark; @ clear olive green, below clear greenish yellow, wings and tail 
dusky, edged with olive; no white wing-bars. Young @, at first, like the 
@ ; afterward variegated with red, green and black. Length 7-74; wing’ 
4; tail3. Eastern United States, abundant. Wmuus., ii, 42, pl. 11, f. 3,4; 
Nignt pis 4Go%; AD, 1,226, plee209);) Bp), 300. - . 2 . « RUBRA. 
Summer [ed-bird. @ rich rose-red, or vermilion, including wings and 
tail; the wings, however, dusky on the inner webs; bill rather pale; feet 
darker; Q dull brownish-olive, below dull brownish-yellow ; no white wing- 
bars; young ¢ like the @ ; the g changing ‘ 
plumage shows red and green confused in d ee 
irregular patches, but no black. The ?, with aes eS 
a general resemblance to 9 rubra, is distin- 5 
guished by the dull brownish, ochre or buffy a 
tinge, the greenish and yellowish of rubra Wiel be. Summer Red-bird: 
being much purer; the bill and feet, also, are BRANES) REELS 
generally much paler in @stiva. Size of rubra, or rather larger. astern, 
Southern and South-western United States, hardly north to New England ; 
abundant. Wiuts., i, 95, hes Goto Norns, 1,469); Aup.;1,)/222, ae 208; 
HSS Ole fates: Me hye : : = 9) ABS TIVA 
Ozs. The ea cooperi, lately based fie Mr. Ridgway (Proe. Acad. Phila. 
1869, 130) upon New Mexican specimens, seems scarcely tenable. The characters 
