THE RED-RUMPED TANAGER. 



{Ramphocoelus costaricensis.) 



Busy, contented, and shy, 



Through the green shades you go ; 

 So unobtrusive and fair 



A mien few mortals know. 



— Bliss Carman, ''Migrants. 



In "The Auk," of July, 1893, Mr. 

 George K. Cherrie, of the Field Museum, 

 says of the Red-rumped Tanager. 



"During my stay at Boruca and Pal- 

 mar, (the last of February) the, breeding 

 season was at its height, and I observed 

 many of the Costa Rica Red-rumps nest- 

 ing. In almost every instance where pos- 

 sible I collected both parents of the nests, 

 and in the majority of cases found the 

 males wearing the same dress as the fe- 

 males. In a few instances the male was 

 in mottled plumage, evidently just as- 

 suming the adult phase, and in a lesser 

 number of examples the male was in ful- 

 ly adult plumage — velvety black and 

 crimson red. Froim the above it is clear 

 that the males begin to breed before they 

 attain fully adult plumage, and that they 

 retain the dress of the female until, at 

 least, the beginning of the second year. 



"While on this trip I had many proofs 

 that, in spite of its rich plumage, and be- 

 ing a bird of the tropics, it is well worthy 

 to hold a place of honor among the song 

 birds. And if the bird chooses an early 

 hour and a scheduled spot for expressing 

 its happiness, the melody is none the less 

 delightful. At the little village of Buenos 

 Aires, on the Rio Grande of Terraba, I 

 heard the song more frequently than at 

 any other point. Close by the ranch 

 house at which we were staying, there 

 is a small stream bordered by low woods 

 and underbrush, that formed a favorite 



resort for the birds. Just below the ranoh 

 is a convenient spot where we took our 

 morning bath. I was always there just 

 as the day was breaking. On the oppo- 

 site bank was a small open space in the 

 brush occupied by the limbs of a dead 

 tree. On one of these branches, and al- 

 ways the same one, was the spot chosen 

 by a Red-rump to pour forth his morn- 

 ing song. Some mornings I found him 

 busy with his music when I arrived, and 

 again he would be a few minutes behind 

 me. Sometimes he would come from one 

 direction, sometimes from another, but 

 he always alighted at the same spot and 

 then lost no time in commencing his 

 song. While singing, the body was 

 swayed to and fro, much after the man- 

 ner of a canary while singing. The song 

 would last for perhaps half an hour, and 

 then away the singer would go. I have 

 not enough musical ability to describe the 

 song, but will say that often I remained 

 standing quietly for a long time, only that 

 I might listen to the music." 



The tanagers are an American family, 

 having arboreal habits, and they usual- 

 ly possess very brilliant plumage. The 

 family is represented by about three hun- 

 dred and fifty species, nearly all of which 

 live in the tropics where they wander 

 through the forests in search of ripe 

 fruits and insects. Some of the tanagers 

 are said to be fond of rice and to con- 

 sume large quantities. 



