170 TH1-: CRIMSoN-llI-.ADHI) TA.VHC.EK. 



No. o<;. 



CRIMSON lll-.\l)l-.l) l.\.\A(.hR. 



A. ( ). I'. No. toy. I'iranxa IuJon iciana i W'ils. ). 



S\non\ms. — Loiisia.na Ia.nagKR. W'estkkn 'J'a.naokk. 



Description. — Adult male: Back, wings, and tail black; middle coverts 

 and tips of j,'reater coverts yellow; remaining ])lumage rich gamboge yellow; 

 clearest (lemon-yellow) on rumj) and upper tail-coverts, darkest (live-yellow 

 to wax-yellow ( «»n breast, changing on head and throat to bright carmine or 

 poppy-red. The red increases lx>th in extent and intensity with age and is 

 always brightest anteriorly. I'.ill horn ct)lor ; feel and legs bluish dusky; iris 

 brown. Adult female: (Icncral 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. )'(>i<»i</ males 

 resemble the adult female and oidy gradually accpiire the clearer brighter plumage 

 of maturity. Length about 7.0c) ( 177.81; wing .V75 "^5'; '^'1 --^ <7i»; bill 

 .39 ( 15); tarsus .So (20.5). 



RecoKnition Marks. — Si)arrow size : sedate ways ; />i//iV note. Dlack 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, comiK)sed of 

 twigs, rootlets and moss, lined with lior.se- or cow-hair; measures externally 

 7 inches across by 3 in depth, internally 2;^:t wiilc by i'.. deep. Eyys: 3-5, 

 usually 4. pale greenish blue to dec]) blue, dotted and sixutcd sparingly with 

 lavender and dark greenish slate, sometimes in wreath about larger end; surface 

 heavily glossed; long ovate in shape. .\v. size .<j2 x .64 ( J3.3 x 16.2 t. Season: 

 June ; one brood. 



General Range. — Western I'nited States from eastern base of Rocky Moun- 

 tains to I'acitic Coast, northward to Itritish Columbia and .\tbabasca : south in 

 winter to Mexico and (aiatemala : straggling ea>tward during migrations — has 

 been several times taken in New England. 



Ranj^e in Washington. — Common summer resident in timbered sections, 

 migrant in oi)en country of East-side. 



Migrations. — Spriiuj: East-side: Yakima. May 4, itjo<). May 9, 1900; 

 Chelan. .May 19. 189}'), ^iay 20, 1903; West-side: Tacoma. .April 2~. 1906. 



Authorities. — I'iraiti/a ludmiciaua I'.ona]). Baird, Re]). I'ac. K. R. Surv. IX. 

 1X38. ).. 304. T. C&S. Rh. n-. Ra. IK Ss'. Ss^ Kk. J. I',. E. 



Specimens. — V. of W. P'. Frov. I!. E. 



THIS handsome Tanagcr is one of the most characteristic binls of the 

 more o])en 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 Wood])ecker bears the name of one. and the Clark Nutcracker 

 of the other, there was nothing for it hut to call the Tanager after the region 



