68 IN THE HEMLOCKS. 



beak. It is a strong, vivacious strain, a bright ruon- 

 day song, full of health and assurance, indicating fine 

 talents in the performer, but not genius. As I come 

 up under the tree he casts his eye down at me, but 

 continues his song. This bird is said to be quite com- 

 mon in the Northwest, but he is rare in the Eastern 

 districts. His beak is disproportionately large and 

 heavy, like a huge nose, which slightly mars his good 

 looks ; but Nature has 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 

 solitary bird, and in this section seems to prefer the 

 high, remote woods, even going quite to the mount- 

 ain'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 ele- 

 vation, and 1 imagined his song had more scope and 

 freedom than usual. When he had flown far down 



