336 



NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Distribution. This species ranges from Kansas to Saskatchewan 

 and winters southward to Texas and New Mexico, lower California and 

 Mexico It is of accidental occurrence in the Atlantic States and west of 



the Rocky mountains. Two New 

 York specimens have been taken, 

 the first at Montauk Point, Sep- 

 tember 4, 1888 (Evans, Auk, 6: 

 192); the second was reported by- 

 Arthur H. Helme from Millers 

 Place, Long Island, September 1 1, 

 1896. 



Family TAXAGRIDAE 



Tanagers 



Bill turgid, more or less 

 notched near the tip, the cutting 

 edge toothed or slightly dentate; primaries 9; size medium; colors bright 

 though not intricately variegated. The characters which distinguish this 

 family are difficult to describe. They are more nearly related to the finches 

 than most families, although they have something in common with the 

 wood warblers. They have long been characterized as dentirostral finches, 

 but the tooth on the side of the beak is practically obsolete in many species. 

 In general, a tanager is easily recognized, though one can scarcely enumerate 

 the points on which it is determined. The family is American, evidently 

 of neotropical origin; consists of about 350 species, only 2 of which are 

 normally found in the eastern states. Probably the most brilliantly colored 

 of all New York birds is the Scarlet tanager, and brilliant colors of red, 

 orange and yellow mostly predominate in the family. They are forest- 

 loving birds, seeking most of their food amongst the foliage, the native 

 species feeding on beetles, caterpillars and fruit in its season. They are 

 more or less melodious, our common tanager singing somewhat like a Robin 

 or Rose-breasted grosbeak. They build rather weakly constructed nests. 

 The eggs are bluish green speckled with brown. 



Lark bunting Calamospiza melanocorys Stejneger 



