FAMILY TANGARID^E 



also. Noted at Barro Colorado Island. Of 

 quieter, less active habits than most smaller 

 members of the family. ' ' Feeds largely on ripe 

 bananas. Has loud clear shrill call of two 

 syllables like twee-twee, which can be heard a 

 long distance. Mixes with other honey creepers 

 quite freely. Iris, burnt sienna; lower mandi- 

 ble Naples yellow" (Richmond). 



62. Family TANGARIDJE 

 The Tanagers 



The tanagers are a large family confined to 

 America, and most of them to its tropical 

 portions, where they constitute a conspicuous 

 part of the bird fauna. They are closely 

 allied to the Fringillidas, and although typi- 

 cal tanagers are easily distinguished from 

 typical finches, there are intermediate forms 

 which might be placed in either family. 



The typical tanagers have a bill more 

 adapted for feeding on fruits and insects than 

 on hard seeds. Though stout at the base 

 and ending in a sharp point as in the finches, 

 it is less conical, usually slenderer, slightly 

 longer and with its upper outline more arched 

 or curved. The tanagers are all of arboreal 

 habits and range in size much as do the 

 finches. The Canal Zone species include 

 forms from the size of a rather small gros- 

 beak down to that of a small sparrow. Many 

 of them are brilliantly, or at least conspicu- 

 ously, colored; a few are good singers. 

 407 



