988 •'Eeport of State Geologist. 



The correction in nomenclature by which the present species be- 

 comes P. erythromelas instead of P. rubra, which is the correct name 

 of the Summer Red Bird, has led to much confusion, and many er- 

 roneous records have latterly been made by those using the old nomen- 

 clature. 



=^236. (610). Piranga rubra (Linn.). 



Summer Tanager. 

 Synonyms, Summer Keoiurd, Keo Bee-iukd. 



Adult Male. — Vermillion-red, the wings and tail similar; other up- 

 per parts, duller than lower; bill, yellowish, darker above; feet, gray. 

 Adult Female. — Yellowish-olive above, light ochrey-yellow beneath 

 (Eidgway). Immature. — Like female. 



Length, 7.45-7.95; wing,, 3.70-3.95; tail, 3.90-3.15; bill, .82-.90. 



Eaxge. — America, from Peru over eastern United States to New 

 Jersey, Indiana and eastern Kansas. Casually to Nova Scotia and 

 Ontario. Breeds throughout its Ignited States range. "Winters south 

 of United States. 



Nest and E(igs, similar to those of P. erythromelas. 



Over a good portion of southern Indiana the Summer Tanager is a 

 common summer resident. It is not so brightly colored as the last 

 species and is less retiring, being often found along highways, where 

 they pasj. through woods, and about the edges of timber land. They 

 frequent the more level upland, where, among the oak and beeches of 

 the white clay land, they are more abundant than the Scarlet Tanager 

 in the same portion of the State. They are common as far as Han- 

 over, the bluffs of the Whitewater near Brookville, which river they 

 rarely cross, Blooinington, and Terre Haute. They have been noted 

 at Greencastle and at Shades of Death, Parke County. Mr. V. H. Bar- 

 nett noted it near Clinton. Vermillion County. August 2. 1S97. Mr. 

 Eobert Eidgway has noted its appearance at Wheatland from April IS 

 to 23. It has first appeared at other places noted at the following 

 early and late dates: Bicknell, April 16, 1896, April 36, 1894; Han- 

 over, April 31, 1896, April 37, 1897; Bloomington, April 38, 1886, 

 May 1, 1893; Terre Haute, April 36, 1890, April 38, 1888; Brookville, 

 April 36, 1897, May 11, 1880. In the fall, they leave late in Septem- 

 ber and early in October. The latest dates noted are Brookville, 

 September 34, 1894; Bicknell, October 4, 1896; Wlieatland, October 

 10, 1883. 



