170 THE CRIMSON-HEADED TANAGER. 
No. 69. 
CRIMSON-HEADED TANAGER. 
A. O. U. No. 607. Piranga ludoviciana (Wils.). 
Synonyms.—LouisiANa TANAGER. WESTERN TANAGER. 
Description.—Adult male: Back, wings, and tail black; middle coverts 
and tips of greater coverts yellow; remaining plumage rich gamboge yellow; 
clearest (lemon-yellow) on rump and upper tail-coverts, darkest (live-yellow 
to wax-yellow) on breast, changing on head and throat to bright carmine or 
poppy-red. ‘The red increases both in extent and intensity with age and is 
always brightest anteriorly. Bill horn color; feet and legs bluish dusky; iris 
brown. Adult female: General plumage dingy olive-yellow; darker, nearly 
olive, above; lighter and clearer on under tail-coverts; wings and tail dusky 
with olivaceous wing markings as in male but yellow paler. Young males 
resemble the adult female and only gradually acquire the clearer brighter plumage 
of maturity. Length about 7.00 (177.8); wing 3.75 (95); tail 2.80 (71); bill 
59 (15); tarsus .80 (20.5). 
Recognition Marks.—Sparrow size; sedate ways; pittic note. Black and 
yellow with crimson head of male distinctive; dull olive of female not likely to 
be confused when size is discriminated. 
Nesting.—Nest: of rather rough, “tropical” construction, composed of 
twigs, rootlets and moss, lined with horse- or cow-hair; measures externally 
7 inches across by 3 in depth, internally 234 wide by 1% deep. Eggs: 3-5, 
usually 4, pale greenish blue to deep blue, dotted and spotted sparingly with 
lavender and dark greenish slate, sometimes in wreath about larger end; surface 
heavily glossed; long ovate in shape. Av. size .92x.64 (23.3x 16.2). Season: 
June; one brood. 
General Range.—Western United States from eastern base of Rocky Moun- 
tains to Pacific Coast, northward to British Columbia and Athabasca; south in 
winter to Mexico and Guatemala; straggling eastward during migrations—has 
been several times taken in New England. 
Range in Washington.—Common summer resident in timbered sections, 
migrant in open country of East-side. 
Migrations.—S pring: East-side: Yakima, May 4, 1906, May 9, 1900; 
Chelan, May 19, 18906, May 20, 1905; West-side: Tacoma, April 27, 1900. 
Authorities——Piranga ludoviciana Bonap. Baird, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. IX. 
Messy (9s SO, do (Cass, Wee ID. IRAs IDE, Ss See IN Jf, IB} 12 
Specimens.—U. of W. P'. Proy. B. E. 
THIS handsome Tanager is one of the most characteristic birds of the 
more open forest areas of Washington, whether east or west. It is one of 
the three species discovered by the intrepid explorers, Lewis and Clark; and 
since the Lewis Woodpecker bears the name of one, and the Clark Nutcracker 
of the other, there was nothing for it but to call the Tanager after the region 
