152 CASSELL'S BOOK OF BIRDS. 



resembling in their hues the quiet dress of the female ; the upper part of the body being then of a 



greenish colour, and underneath of a pale yellow. This costume is followed after the moulting season 



by a third, when the male appears prettily spotted with bright red and green, and presents a most 



elegant appearance. 



THE FIRE TANGARA. 



The Fire Tangara, or Summer Red Bird [Pyranga as/iva), is larger than the rest of its 

 congeners, measuring from six and three-quarters to seven and a quarter inches in length, and eleven 

 across. The body is red, like that of the last-mentioned species, but the wings are of a reddish brown, 

 and the whole plumage somewhat paler. The female is olive green, shaded with brown, the under 

 part of the body being yellow, towards the middle shaded with red. Very old females are occasionally 

 met with, resembling the male birds in their colours. The young are like the mother. 



In their manners both these species of Fire Tangaras are much alike ; they inhabit the extensive 

 forests of America, where they are found in pairs, living a very quiet and retired life, and generally 

 perching upon the topmost branches of the trees. The Summer Tangara receives its name from the 

 fact that it is only seen in the United States from May to September ; though far from numerous, it 

 is well known all over the country, frequently making its appearance in the gardens and plantations, 

 where it does considerable damage to fruit and flax. The scarlet species is generally seen as early as 

 April, and leaves somewhat later than the Summer Tangara. The latter migrates by day, the former 

 at night, the birds rarely consorting even on these occasions, and preserving their comparative 

 isolation when flying through the length and breadth of the land. As to their habits, naturalists agree 

 in telling us that they are quiet and monotonous; but, whilst constantly deploring their deficiencies as 

 birds of song, they cannot speak too warmly of their great beauty and of the striking contrast their 

 red plumage affords to the surrounding trees. Their flight is smooth and gliding ; but they seldom 

 descend to seek their food upon the ground ; their movements among the branches are slow, and 

 the trifling amount of animation of which they appear capable is expressed by occasionally flapping 

 their wings, or uttering their call, which consists of only two notes. They live principally upon insects, 

 catching them when upon the wing, and Wilson mentions having found Tangaras whose stomachs 

 were entirely filled with the remains of bees. The nest, which is clumsy in its construction, is usually 

 built upon a forked branch, no care being taken for its concealment. The Prince von Wied mentions 

 having seen a brooding female that remained sitting quite undisturbed by his approach, even when 

 he ventured quite close to the young family; indeed, so little precaution is taken to ensure safety, 

 that the nests are often constructed by the roadside, and so lightly fastened to the branches upon 

 which they are built as to be easily shaken from their place ; dry roots and straw generally form the 

 outer wall, the interior is lined with fine grass. The eggs, four or five in number, are light blue, or 

 dark greenish blue, those of the Scarlet Tangara being spotted with different shades of purple. Both 

 sexes unite in the duties of incubation, sitting upon the brood for the space of a fortnight, and feeding 

 the nestlings principally upon insects. By the beginning of June the young birds are strong enough 

 to fly about the country, accompanying their parents until the season for migration arrives. Wilson 

 mentions a pretty instance that came under his own notice of the attachment of these beautiful 

 creatures to their young. On one occasion, he tells us, he caught a young Scarlet Tangara that had 

 been a few days out of the nest, and carried it to a distance of about half a mile, when he placed it in 

 a cage near the nest of a Yellow Bird, thinking that as the occupant had a family of her own, she 

 might take pity on the stranger. In this hope he was deceived, its plaintive cries being entirely dis- 

 regarded, nor could it be persuaded to take food from his hand. He had almost decided on taking the 

 poor bird to the place whence it came, when towards evening a Scarlet Tangara was seen flying 

 round the cage and making every effort to obtain admission ; not succeeding in its attempts, the bird 



