20 



As a rule brilliantly plumaged birds 

 are too gaudy and not as handsome as 

 many whose colors are of less startling 

 hues. SCARLET TANAGBRS are an 

 exception to this rule and are not only 

 bright colored but are beautiful. The 

 colors, scarlet and black, make a pret- 

 ty combination and on this species there 

 is just the proper amount of each color 

 to get the best effect. 



They arrive from their winter quar- 

 ters in the tropics, the first week in 

 May and remain until October. For a 

 week or two after coming they may be 

 seen not only in woods but sometimes 

 on orchard trees or shade trees in 

 cities, but after they have 'settled down 

 for the season, they are to be found 

 chiefly in woods preferably those hav- 

 ing occasional pines. They can always 

 be found by their peculiar song, which 

 might be likened to that of a very 

 hoarse robin, the notes having a harsh, 

 grating undertone. Their nests are 

 composed of twigs and rootlets, lined 

 with very fine rootlets. The four eggs 

 are greenish-blue, specked with brown. 



one or two feet and terminating in an enlarged chamber. 



CLIFF or EAVE SWALLOWS have a plumage similar 

 to that of Barn Swallow, but the tail is not forked, the 

 rump is buffy and the forehead very lightly colored. This 

 species builds a flask-shaped nest of pellets of mud, at- 

 taching them on the outside of buildings under the eaves 

 or on the faces of cliffs. As usual with swallows, they nest 

 in colonies. Then there is that large and well-known 

 species, the PURPLE MARTIN, the male of which is 

 glossy purplish-black all over. Many of them now com- 

 monly nest in bird houses erected for them, but the majority 

 cling to the habits of their ancestors and nest in cavities of 

 trees. 



CEDAR WAX WINGS are known to nearly everyone, 

 either by this name or as "Cherry Birds." Many a farmer 

 complains that with "Cherry Birds" and Robins stealing 

 his cherries, he is unable to get any for his own use. True, 

 they do like cherries and, while from choice they will take 

 wild ones, thej^ do damage cultivated ones to some extent. 

 But they can be frightened away so that they will not re- 

 turn to certain trees, and the farmer should also remember 

 that these birds, as well as many others do him an immense 

 service by destroying the many insects they do. Cedar 



