60 in THE HEMLOCKS. 



beak is disproportionately large and heavy, like a huge 

 nose, which slightly mars his good looks; but Nature 

 lias made it up to him in a blush rose upon his breast, 

 and the most delicate of pink linings to the under side 

 of his wings. His back is variegated black and white, 

 and when flying low the white shows conspicuously. 

 If he passed over your head, you would note the 

 delicate flush under his wings. 



That bit of bright scarlet on yonder dead hemlock, 

 glowing like a live coal against the dark background, 

 seeming almost too brilliant for the severe northern 

 climate, is his relative, the scarlet tanager. I occa- 

 sionally meet him in the deep hemlocks, and know 

 no stronger contrast in nature. I almost fear he will 

 kindle the dry limb on which he alights. He is quite 

 a solitary bird, and in this section seems to prefer the 

 high, remote woods, even going quite to the mountain's 

 top. Indeed, the event of my last visit to the mountain 

 was meeting one of these brilliant creatures near the 

 summit, in full song. The breeze carried the notes 

 far and wide. He seemed to enjoy the elevation, and 

 I imagined his song had more scope and freedom 

 than usual. When he had flown far down the moun- 

 tain-side, the breeze still brought me his finest notes. 

 In plumage he is the most brilliant bird we have. The 

 bluebird is not entirely blue ; nor will the indigo-bird 

 bear a close inspection, nor the goldfinch, nor the sum- 

 mer redbird. But the tanager loses nothing by a near 

 view , the deep scarlet of his body and the black of 



