366 



Passeres.- 



-BIRDS.- 



-Feingillid.e. 



The Scarlet Tanager is one of the few species which 

 visit the United States durmg the summer, when it 

 even advances as far to the nortli as Canada. The 

 male, which is about six inches and a half in length, is 

 of a most brilliant scarlet colour, with the wings and 

 tail black ; the female is green above and yellow be- 

 neath, with brownish-black wings and tail ; and the 

 male, when the breeding season is over, moults and 

 becomes partially of a greenish-yellow colour, so that 

 his plumage exhibits a mixture of greenish and scarlet 

 spots. This bird dwells in the depths of the woods 

 and forests, and rarely approaches the habitations of 

 man, except to visit the orchards in search of fruit, 

 which constitutes a considerable portion of its food ; 

 the remainder consisting of insects of various kinds, 

 including wasps, hornets, and bees. Its nest is built 

 upon the horizontal branch of a tree, sometimes in an 

 orchard ; it is a sliglit structure, composed of dry grass 

 and flax stems. The ordiiiai'y note of the male is a 

 mere monotonous chirping, but occasionally he emits a 

 more musical chant. 



THE SUMMER RED-BIRD {Pijranrja (cativa), another 

 visitor to llie United States, is entirelj' of a brilliant 

 vermilion colour, with only the tips of the wings 

 brown ; the female being of a brownish-olive colour 

 above and dull orange-yellow beneath. This bird is 

 rather more than seven inches in length. In its habits 

 it resembles the preceding species, dwelling principally 

 in the woods, and feeding during the early part of the 

 season upon insects, and subsequently upon berries and 

 fruits of various kinds. It prefers those woods which 

 contain pine trees, and is therefore more abundant 

 along the coast of the Atlantic than in tlie interior. 



THE BLACK TAUAGER {Taclvjphonus leucopierus), 

 an inhabitant of Guiana, is entirely of a deep black 

 colour, with the lesser wing-coverts white ; the female 

 is of a chestnut-red colour. 



THE CRESTED TANAGEE [Tachyphomis cristaliis) 

 is also black, with the lesser wing coverts Wilite; but 

 it has the rump bright orange, and the flanks maroon, 

 whilst the head is adorned with a crest which exhibits 

 blue, red, and yellow colours. This species is likewise 

 an inhabitant of Guiana. 



VIGORS' TANAGER {Tacliyiiho7ms corijphmis), a 

 native of the southern provinces of Brazil, is of a fine 

 violet-black colour, witli the scapulars white, and the 

 crest red. 



THE JACAPA TANAGER (Taiuigra jacajya), an in- 

 habitant of Brazil and Guiana, has the base of the 

 lower mandible during life of a beautiful silvery 

 whiteness ; the male is purplish-black, with the head, 

 throat, and breast brilliant purple ; the female is pur- 

 plish-brown above, and reddish beneath. The length 

 of this bird is six inclics. 



THE RED-CAPPED TANAGER {Tanagra gidaris), an 

 inhabitant of Guiana, is black above, and white be- 

 neath ; the head is of a brilliant red colour, and the 

 throat blackish- purple. 



THE SEVEN-COLOURED TANAGER (Tanar/ra Tutao), 

 a native of Guiana and Brazil, where it is found in 

 considerable troops in the vicinity of the great rivers, 

 has the plumage of the upper parts deep velvety-black, 

 with the head green, the rump orange-yellow, and the 



lower part of the back fiery red ; the breast and greater 

 wing -coverts are violet-blue, and the belly is sea-green. 



THE BANDED TANAGER (C'tv?o«^«2a ri«ata)— Plato 

 13, fig. 43 — a native of Brazil, is of a deep violet-blue 

 coloirr above, with the rump, wings, and tail azure ; a 

 black band crosses the forehead and passes through 

 each eye ; the throat is yellowish-white, and the rest 

 of the lower part of the body bright red. 



THE TRI-COLOURED TANAGER {Calospka tricolor) 

 is of a blackish-brown colour above, with the margins 

 of the quill feathers bright green ; the nape and sides 

 of the neck are greenish golden-yellow, the smaller 

 wing-coverts violet-blue, and the breast and belly 

 bluish-green. This species inhabits Brazil. 



THe'oRANGE-BREASTED TANAGER {Calospizalho- 

 riicica), which is also a native of Brazil, is remarkable 

 for the beauty of colouring of the male. The plumage 

 surrounding the base of the bill is velvet-black, the 

 forehead displays a band of azure blue, the throat and 

 breast are orange, with a velvet-black spot in the 

 centre; the head and back are green, with spots and 

 streaks of black ; the shoulders are orange, spotted 

 with black ; and the belly is yellow, with the flanks 

 grass-green. 



THE GREEN-MIRROR TANAGER {NcmosiafluvicoUis). 

 — In this beautiful bird, which is an inhabitant of 

 Guiana and Brazil, the upper surface is blackish- 

 brown, with the lower part of the back and the rump 

 yellow ; at the middle of each wing is a green mirror- 

 like spot; the throat is golden -yellow ; and the belly 

 bright green. 



THE ORGANIST TANAGER [Eitpliimia musica), a 

 native of several of the West Indian Islands, and 

 especially of Porto Rico and St. Domingo, is a small 

 species, measuring only about four inches in length. 

 It has the upper surface brilliant violet-black, with the 

 top of the head and nape of the neck blue, and the 

 cheeks blue-black ; the forehead, nmip, and lower part 

 of the body are orange-j'ellow. The female is olive- 

 grefin above, and greenish-yellow beneath. This bird, 

 with some of its nearest allies, is remarkable amongst 

 the Tanagers for i!.s musical powers, for, although 

 its note cannot be regarded as fine when compared 

 with some of our best songsters, it has an agreeable 

 and varied song. It is also a uWiiliar species, often 

 approaching the houses. 



THE VIOLET TANAGER {Euphonut riolacea), a 

 species nearly related to the preceding, is iS^und com- 

 monly in Brazil and Paraguay, and also hi niC^t parts 

 of South America. It is of the same size "■'^s the 

 organist tanager, and, like it, has the upper sl'rf*'^'^ 

 violet-black ; the forehead and breast are orange-y^'' 

 low, and the belly yelloAv. There are numerous oth"" 

 species of this and other genera of Tanagers, to whic.'^ 

 our space will not permit us to allude. 



THE HAWFINCH {Coccothrmistcs rule/ari's) is the 

 only British species of another group of Finches, to 

 which the name of Grosbeaks is ordinarily applied, from 

 the great thiclaiess of their rather short conical bills. 

 Tlie Hawfinch or Common Grosbeak is about seven 

 inches in length, has the top of the head, the nape of 

 the neck, the rump, and upper tail-coverts fawn 

 colour ; the back of the neck gray, the back chestnut- 



