79 



124. Zamelodia ludoviciana Linn. 



ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK. 



Male: Above and throat, black; belly and rump, wLlte; rest of under 

 parts, rose-red. 



Female: Above, brown streaked with whitish; beneath, white, streaked 

 with brown; lining of wings, saffron-yellow. Length, about 8 inches. 



Rather uncommon summer resident. Earliest arrival, May 

 8 (Professor Fernald) ; departs in September. Raises 1 

 brood. Eggs 4-5, pale blue, with numerous brown markings. 

 Nest of fine twigs, weed stalks, and rootlets, in trees. Eggs 

 laid in June. Feeds on seeds and insects. Beneficial. A not- 

 able songster ; song, pure and joyous, sometimes compared to 

 that of a robin. 



125. Passerina cyanea (Linn.). 

 INDIGO-BIRD. INDIGO BUNTING. 



Male : Bright blue, duller beneath. 



Female : Dusky, streaked with darker. Length, S-Sj inches. 



Common summer resident. Earliest arrival, May 10 ; 

 departs in September. Raises 1 brood. Eggs 2-5, pale bluish- 

 white. Nest large and deep, of grass and hair, in a low bush. 

 Eggs laid in June. Feeds on seeds and insects. Beneficial. 

 A cheerful but not a powerful songster. 



126. Piranga erythromelas Vieill. 

 SCARLET TANAGER. 



Male : Bright scarlet; wings and tail, black. 



Female: Clear olive; beneath, yellow. Length, about 7 inches. 



Not uncommon summer resident. Earliest arrival May 8 

 (Miss Morse) ; departs in September. Raises 1 brood. Eggs 

 4-5, greenish-blue, finely spotted with brown AJid lilac. Nest 

 of twigs and roots, loosely put together on the limb of a tree, 

 usually an oak. Eggs laid in June. Feeds on insects. Ben- 

 eficial. Note, "a distinctly uttered 'cAip-c/itrr' ; song, loud, 

 cheery, rhythmical" (Merriam) . 



Note. Piranga rubra, Red-bird, recorded from Amherst in 1867 was an 

 escaped cage-bird. 



