78 PEARLS AND PEBBLES. 



THE SCARLET TANAGER. 



The Scarlet Tanager (Piranga Erythromelas) is 

 another brilliant bird. The Indians and the old settlers, 

 in Canada call it the " War Bird," because, they say, it 

 was not seen on this side of Lake Ontario, nor on the 

 St. Lawrence, till after the close of the war between 

 Great Britain and the United States, in 1812-14, not 

 until peace was established. 



The country, however, was but sparsely inhabited 

 before that date, and it is probable there were not many 

 among the settlers who would take much note of, or any 

 particular interest in, the coining and going of the birds. 

 Though much reliance cannot be placed on such tradi- 

 tions, yet one often chances to glean interesting facts 

 from them. The old settlers in the bush and the 

 Indians were my only sources of information about the 

 birds when I first came to the Colony. The natural 

 history of the Dominion had not then attracted the 

 attention of writers to any extent. 



To see this now rare bird, the Scarlet Tanager, one- 

 must go back into the lonely forest settlements, as he 

 does not affect the vicinity of towns and villages, but 

 loves the seclusion of the quiet woods, far from the 

 noisy haunts of men. In the silent depths of the forest 

 his nest is secure from the acquisitive boy and the 

 prowling cat. 



During my first year's residence in the Douro back- 



