IN THE HEMLOCKS. 77 



vivacious strain, a bright noonday song, full 

 of health and assurance, indicating fine tal- 

 ents in the performer, but not genius. As I 

 come up under the tree he casts his eye down 

 at me, but continues his song. This bird is 

 said to be quite common in the Northwest, 

 but he is rare in the Eastern districts. His 

 beak is disproportionately large and heavy, 

 like a huge nose, which slightly mars his 

 good looks ; but Nature has made it up to 

 him in a blush rose upon his breast, and the 

 most delicate of pink linings to the under 

 side of his wings. His back is variegated 

 black and white, and when flying low the 

 white shows conspicuously. If he passed 

 over your head, you would note the delicate 

 flush under his wings. 



That bit of bright scarlet on yonder dead 

 hemlock, glowing like a live coal against the 

 dark background, seeming almost too bril- 

 liant for the severe northern climate, is his 

 relative, the scarlet tanager. I occasionally 

 meet him in the deep "hemlocks, and know no 

 stronger contrast in nature. I almost fear he 

 will kindle the dry limb on which he alights. 

 He is quite a solitary bird, and in this section 

 seems to prefer the high, remote woods, even 

 going quite to the mountain's top. Indeed, 



