156 SCARLET TANAGER, 
mingbirds. The male Scarlet Tanager, with fire-red body 
and jet-black wings and tail, is the most brightly plum- 
aged of our birds. Seen against a 
Peers Tanager, Jeafy background, light seems to radi- 
iranga erythrometas. 3 ri 
ate from his glowing feathers. But 
the female, clad in dull olive-green, is so in harmony 
with the color of her surroundings that she is not easily 
discovered. The young male at first resembles his mother, 
but has blackish wings and tail, and does not acquire the 
full scarlet and black plumage until the following spring. 
After the nesting season is over the male exchanges the 
nuptial dress, which has rendered him so conspicuous, for 
a costume similar to that worn by the young male. 
The Scarlet Tanager spends the winter in Central and 
South America with his numerous relatives, and in the 
spring reaches the latitude of New York city about May 
5, remaining until October. It frequents both high and 
low woods, but prefers rather open growths of white oak. 
Its nest is usually placed on the horizontal branch of an | 
oak limb. The three or four eggs are pale greenish blue, 
with numerous reddish brown markings. 
The Tanager’s call-note is a characteristic chip-churr ; 
his song is not unlike the Robin’s, but is not so free and 
ringing. Mounting to the topmost branch, often of a 
dead or partially dead tree, he sings, Look-up, way-up, 
look-at-me, tree-top, and with frequent pauses repeats the 
invitation. 
SwWALLows. (FAMILY HIRUNDINIDZ.) 
Primarily, Swallows are remarkable for their power 
of flight. Their long, bladelike wings show how well they 
are fitted for life in the air; their small feet, on the 
other hand, are of little service except in perching, and 
give evidence of the effect of disuse (see Fig. 6). 
