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On the Orange-billed Tanager.



Being offered to me originally under tlie dealer’s fancy

name of “American Hawfinch,” it may be imagined that I

was at first puzzled as to what this bird was. As the form of

the beak and the bird’s evident preference for soft food suggested

Tanagrine affinities, I waded through the Museum Catalogue

of those birds : I paused when I came to Saltator, but even the

description of S. aurantiirostris did not seem to fit it exactty.

I therefore wrote to Dr. Sharpe enclosing a rough coloured

sketch which I did from memory; I also wrote to our Business-

Secretary and Editor. All three gentlemen suggested that it

was probably Saltator aurantiirostris ; but, as I was still in doubt,

I went up to the Natural History Museum and had a look at

the series of skins.


I found that my bird was unquestionably a not perfectly

adult male of the Orange-billed Tanager, but there was only

one skin in the Museum which nearly approached it in colourings

all the other skins were paler and less brightly coloured, so that

the description in the Catalogue taken from these skins

necessarily gave me the idea of another, though allied species,

(tawny colours fade quickly) : but what put me off the track as

much as possible was the wording of part of the description,

which gave me the impression that the throat of S. aurantiirostris

was wholly black.


At the Palace Show in October, Mr. Housden exhibited

the other two specimens of this species, which appeared to be both

hens (the gular collar being absent) and Mr. Swayslaud brought

up one of four quite young males which he had recently received ;

and which, on account of their dark beaks he thought must

represent a distinct species : I was however able to assure him

that this was not the case.


Of all the Tanagers with which I have hitherto come in.

contact, the Orange-bill seems naturally to be by far the most

steady. Most Tanagers when first imported are more or less

wild and nervous, nor have I ever known them to become

thoroughly trustful; but S. aurantiirostris from the time that

I turned it into its small flight was perfectly friendly; and,

although at first it would fly up to its perch if I put my hand



