THE SCARLET TANAGER. n 



chiefly by me, are the Superb Tanager and the Brazilian Tanager. The 

 Violet Tanager does not come so often, but I wish it did, for it is a 

 magnificent songster." Dr. Rnss also, though he does not admit the 

 superlative beauty of its song, allows that it is lively, and not without 

 charm. We are therefore forced to the conclusion that Wiener's example 

 was deficient in vocal acquirements, and an exception to the rule. 



The gizzard of a specimen of the Violet Tanager, which was shot 

 by Layard, at Para, was found to contain mucilaginous seeds ; but it 

 seems highly probable that these were contained in some fruit which 

 it had devoured, and the pulp of which had been digested. 



A specimen of this species, in good condition, was offered to me 

 at a reasonable price in the autumn of 1897 ; but, as I already possessed 

 the far more beautiful Superb Tanager, I was not tempted to add to 

 my daily labour by the purchase of another fruit-eater. From what I 

 gathered from various sources, there must have been an unusual impor- 

 tation of the Violet Tanager during this autumn. 



THE SCARLET TANAGER. 



Rhamphoccelus brasilius, I/INN 



THIS is a native of Brazil, and is consequently widely known as the 

 Brazilian Tanager. The general colouring of the male is bright 

 carmine ; the wings, tail, and thighs, dull black ; the beak black, with 

 a white patch at the base of the lower mandible. Length 7* inches ; 

 legs dark brown ; iris orange-brown. 



The female is brown, with the hind part of the back and the 

 abdomen rosy reddish. 



Mr. W. H. Forbes, in his article on the Birds of Pernambuco, says : 

 " I met with this splendid bird on the road between Iguarassu and 

 Olinda, and subsequently found it abundantly, in favourable situations, 

 nearer Recife, as well as at Parahyba, and all along the line of railway 



