134 SCARLET TANAGER. 



cherries and such insects as can be ob- 

 tained. In the winter, dried cherries, figs, 

 raisins and currants would form an im- 

 portant addition to their diet. 



The young are at first of a greenish- 

 olive hue, which on the wings and tail 

 approaches to a dusky-brown colour; but 

 acquire their rich scarlet livery the en- 

 suing spring, moulting into the olivaceous 

 tint in the fall, and regaining the brighter 

 plumage, which becomes deeper and deeper 

 every succeeding spring, the following 

 season. 



Their song, which is delivered for hours 

 together, is a sweet, mellow and harmo- 

 nious ditty of considerable strength and 

 power. It resembles very closely the clear 

 fife-like notes of the Golden Robin, or Bal- 

 timore Oriole, passes into the soft delightful 

 tones of the flute, and is at the same time 

 remarkable for its rich variety of cadence. 



They should be kept in a warm stove- 

 room during winter, as they are extremely 

 susceptible of cold. 



