TANAGEIDiE, TANAGEES. GEN. 43. HI 



Family TANAGRID^. Tanagers. 



An extensive, brilliant familj', confined to America, abounding in species be- 

 tween the tropics. Its position is a point at issue with ornithologists ; it may how- 

 ever, not unnaturally follow the Coerebidce and S ylvicoUdte, though, certainly no fam- 

 ilies should stand between it and FringilUdai. In fact certain tropical forms might 

 be assigned to either indifferentlj'. The best definition of the tanagers I hav° seen 

 is that given by the distinguished ornithologist who called them " dentirostral 

 finches ;" but this important generalization, lilie other happy epigrams, is insuscep- 

 tible of application in detail, and the tanagers remain to be precisely characterized. 

 As a consequence, the number of species can hardly be approximately estimated ; 

 but upwards of three hundred are usually enumerated. 



The single well established North American genus may be recognized, among all 

 the birds of our country, bj? the combination of nine primaries and scutellate tarsi 

 with a turgid bill, notched at the tip and toothed or lobed near the middle of the 

 superior maxillary tomia ; though this last character is sometimes so obscure that it 

 might be looked at without being seen. The species of Pyranrja are birds of bril- 

 liant colors, with great seasonal and sexual differences of plumage. They are 

 frugivorous and insectivorous, and consequently migratorjr in the United States. 

 They inhabit woodland, lay 4-5 dark colored, speckled eggs, nest in trees, and are 

 fair songsters. In distribution they are rather southerly, not passing nortiiward 

 beyond the United States. One species of another genus, Euphonia elegantissima, 

 has been admitted to our fauna, but apparently upon insufficient evidence. 



^ (A 43. Genus PYRANGA VieiUot. 



y^ Scarlet Tanuger. $ scarlet, with black wings and tail ; bill and feet ' 

 dark ; 9 dear olive green, below dear greenish yellow, wings and tail 

 dusky, edged with olive ; no white wing-bars. Young $ , at first, like the 

 $ ; afterward variegated with red, green and black. Length 7-7^ ; wing 

 4 ; tail 3. Eastern United States, abundant. Wils., ii, 42, pi. 11, f. 3, 4 ; 

 .(^NuTT., i, 465; AuD., iii, 226, pi. 209; Bd., 300 rubra. 



, i ~ Summer Red-bird. $ rich rose-red, or vermilion, including wings and Y 

 tail; the wings, however, dusky on the inner webs; bill rather pale; feet 

 darker; $ didl broivnish-olive, helow dull broionish-yelloiv ; 110 white wing- 

 bars ; young $ like the 5 ; the $ changing 

 plumage shows red and green confused in 

 irregular patches, but no black. The 9 , with 

 a general resemblance to 9 rubra, is distin- 

 guished by the dull brownish, ochre or buify 

 tinge, the greenish and yellowish of rubra 



being much purer ; the bill and feet, also, are *> cooper's Tauager. 



generally much paler in cestiva. Size of rubra, or rather larger. Eastern, 

 Southern and South-western United States, hardly north to New England ; 

 abundant. Wils., i, 95, pi. 6, f. 3 ; Nutt., i, 469 ; Auc, iii, 222, pi. 208 ; 



Bd., 301 iESTIVA. 



Obs. The Pyranga cooperi, lately based by Mr. Ridgway (Proc. Acad. Phila. 

 1869, 130) upon New Mexican specimens, seems scarcely tenable. The characters 



Fig. 53. Summer Eefi-bird; 



