on the Superb Tanager. 109


much as I do my Archbishop Tanager, which bids fair to survive

for many years yet, while my two Scarlet Tanagers, purchased in

1897, are still both in excellent health and plumage.


It has been asserted that these brilliant Callistes only utter

harsh notes, but this is not true. The call-note of C. fastuosa is

a shrill chirp which he utters as he flits, with a curious Hedge-

Accentor-like flirting of the wings, from perch to perch ; his

ordinary song is not unlike that of some of the true Weavers,

very harsh and unmusical; but his early morning song, which I

like to think is also a courting serenade, is quite pretty and, as I

have previously stated, not unlike the song of the Indigo Bunt¬

ing.


The first Superb Tanager which I possessed was a female

purchased on May cStli, 1897, which died 011 Dec. 12th, 1898,

moulting twice in my possession. O11 the first of March 1899 I

bought two pairs in rather rough plumage, and a fortnight later

I bought two others, one of these died in May and one in June

1899, the first in such rough plumage that it was not worth pre¬

serving, the second not much better, but I had it made into a

skin : two died late in the following year and of the remaining

pair the male died on September 28th, 1901, and the female on

November 17th, 1903. This last bird therefore survived for five

and a half years, and yet at its death was more pronounced in its

female characters than the younger bird illustrated on my plate :

this would seem to suggest that whereas the orange in the male

becomes deeper with age, that of the female becomes paler. If

the moderately moist air of the lofty conservatory in which I

have always kept my Tanagers had had anything to do with the

gradual deepening of the orange in the males, it would certainly

have affected that of the females in the same manner.


If I had to restrict my avicultural studies to one group of

Insectivorous birds, I should certainly choose the Tanagers :

they are not only about the most lovely of all cage-birds, but

they are no great trouble to feed; as a general rule are quite

friendly after the first moult in captivity; and, if in good health

to start with, are likely to live to a reasonably' good age.


Judging from the measure of success which has attended

attempts to breed Tanagers in aviaries I see no reason why C.



