BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



251 



This species arrives in Pennsylvania sometimes, though rarely, as 

 early as the last week in April ; usually it comes about May 9. Tana- 

 gers, except when they pay occasional visits to cherry or mulberry trees, 

 on the fruits of which they feed to a limited extent, are seldom found 

 away from favorite retreats in the forests. The forests and groves, par- 

 ticulary oak groves, in which streams of water are found, are the favorite 

 resorts of this species. The nest, a loosely built structure, composed of 

 twigs, roots or stems of various weeds, is usually placed on the horizon- 

 tal limb of a small tree, preferably beech (Fagus), about ten or twenty 

 feet from the ground. Eggs, three to five, mostly four, pale greenish- 

 blue, spotted with different shades of brown, measure about .95 by .65. 

 While the nests are nearly always built in the depths of the woods, I 

 have observed they frequently are seen overhanging a cart-road or un- 

 frequented path, when such a passage-way exists in the woods. I have 

 often discovered the nests of this species, and, notwithstanding the fact 

 that neither the nests or contents were disturbed, have noticed that the 

 birds would always follow me to the edge of the woods, and occasionally 

 some distance beyond, uttering their peculiar chirp clmrr. When tan- 

 agers thus absent themselves from the nests, it not unfrequently hap- 

 pens that the thieving and omnivorous Blue Jay robs them of their con- 

 tents. Mr. B. M. Everhart has known instances where the jays, after 

 devouring the eggs or young tanagers, have torn up the nests. 



Tanagers, during the summer residence with us, feed principally on 

 various forms of insects, and to a very small extent on fruits, such as 

 cherries, strawberries, huckleberries, etc. 



The stomach contents of twenty-nine of these birds are given in the 

 following table : 



* All taken on hickory trees 



