BIRDS OF MEXICO : SCARLET TANAOER. 247 



Mexico has long been in a chronic state of revohition. 

 From a province of Spain it became an independent empire ; 

 afterwards a republic ; and once more, under the unfortunate 

 Maximilian, it was placed under imperial rule, finally to fall 

 into a far greater state of anarchy than before. 



Before we quit Mexico, a remarkable result of hydraulic 

 action must be mentioned, found on the sea-coast of that 

 region. It is known as the buffadero. At the termination 

 of a long rugged point, the water of the ocean, forced by a 

 current or the waves, is projected through a fissure or n^^tural 

 tube in the rock, forming a beautiful jet cVeau many feet in 

 height. 



BIRDS OF MEXICO : THE SCARLET TANAGER. 



Among the winter inhabitants of Mexico, one of the hand- 

 somest is the scarlet tanager — a small bird, being only six 

 or seven inches in length. It migrates north in the spring, 

 generally making its appearance in the United States about 

 the end of April, where it remains till the breeding season is 

 over. 



The colour of the male bird is a brilliant scarlet, with the 

 exception of the tail and wings, which are deep black. The 

 tail is ftn'ked, and has a white tip. This gay plumage is, 

 however, only donned during the summer, for when it re- 

 turns to Mexico in the autumn, its body is covered with a 

 number of gi-ayish-yellow feathers, giving it a mottled appear- 

 ance. Its note is powerful, but not particularly musical. 



Wilson describes it as a remarkably aftectionate bird. 

 Having captured a young one, it was placed in a cage high 

 up on a tree. The father bird discovered it, and was seen to 

 bring it food, roosting at night on a neighbouring bough. After 



