134 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS 



the flycatchers, in their eminent skill in fly-catching, 36 as oc- 

 casionally displayed, and in their want of musical powers, for, 

 though absurdly called "chatterers," they are notably silent 

 birds. Moreover, "their tarsus is not strictly oscine." They 

 are, however, gregarious. The common Cedar-bird may be 

 taken as a type. 



I. PYRANGA 



(A) RUBRA. Scarlet Tanager. 



(Though locally distributed, a generally common summer- 

 resident in southern New England.) 



Fig. 5. Scarlet Tanager (|). 



(a). About 7^ inches long. ^, scarlet; wings and tail 

 black. 9 , oliv.e-green above. Below, (greenish) yellow. 



(&). The nest is loosely constructed of straws, twigs, etc., 

 and is usually placed from ten to thirty feet above the ground, 

 generally in an oak-wood, but sometimes in an orchard or 

 other place and in evergreens. Three or four eggs are here 

 laid about the first of June, averaging '90X'65 of an inch 



36 It is to be remembered, however, that the birds of many families are very 

 skilful in preying upon insects in the air, scarcely less so than the true flycatch- 

 ers. 



