RED-THROATED BLUE TANAGER. 



chirp, sharp and shrill. Towards the end of the 

 year, when the dark and glossy foliage of the orange 

 groves is relieved by the profuse golden fruit, re- 

 minding the beholder, of the fabled gardens of the 

 Hesperides, this Tanager becomes numerous, hop- 

 ping about the twigs, and pecking holes in the ripe 

 fruit. Many are then readily caught by smearing 

 the twigs in the vicinity of a half-eaten orange, with 

 bird lime, or " gum," as it is called, the inspissated 

 milk that exudes from an unripe naseberry. Females 

 seem to predominate in these foraging parties, in 

 the proportion of two or three to one ; unless the 

 young males have the same livery as their mothers. 



Near the Hallow-well at Content, on a bush whose 

 glossy black berries have obtained for it the name 

 of wild pimento, but which is better known as rod- 

 wood 9 we found a nest of the Orange Quit, in June. 

 It was a very deep cup, of a coarse texture, rather 

 rudely formed of blades of grass, and the leaves of 

 Olyra latifoUa, interwoven with stalks of grass. It 

 was built on a horizontal branch, at the divergence 

 of two twigs, but did not embrace them. Four 

 small eggs, -^ inch by ^, contained at that time 

 embryos half matured : they were white, splashed 

 with dull red, thinly, except at the larger end, 

 where the spots were numerous and confluent. The 

 male probably assists in incubation; for he was 

 seen to emerge from the nest. 



