SONG BIRDS OF ORCHARD AND WUUODLAND. 213 
are large groves of white oaks Tanagers are sure to come. 
They also frequent the detached oaks that are found in pas- 
tures near woodland. The chestnut is another favorite tree. 
This bird seems to have increased somewhat in numbers 
within the last forty years, and for at least twenty years has 
been common and sometimes abundant in the greater part 
of Massachusetts. It is somewhat local, however, and is 
rarely as common anywhere as the Robin or Song Sparrow. 
It is distinctly an arboreal bird, and seeks its food mainly 
among the foliage of trees, where from the higher branches 
its song may be most often heard. The lay resembles 
somewhat that of a Robin, but is shorter and less varied, 
with a little apparent hoarseness or harshness in the tone. 
Gentry’s rendering of the song as chi-chi-chi-char-é, char- 
é-cht, represents it fairly well. At times it seems ventri- 
loquial, and the bird is difficult to find, for its brilliant 
plumage is not so conspicuous among the shadows of the 
foliage as one would naturally expect to find it. It sings at 
intervals all through the day, but more often at early morning 
and at night. A sudden noise, like a shout or the rumbling 
of a carriage along the road, sometimes startles the Tanager 
into song, or brings out the alarm note, chip, churr, or the 
sharp chip uttered by this bird. . 
After the leaves have attained their full size, the Tanager, 
which feeds mostly in the trees, is hidden much of the time 
by the foliage of the tree tops, and so is seldom seen except 
by those who know its notes and are looking for it. For this 
reason it is commonly considered rare. 
In its food preferences the Tanager is the appointed guard- 
ian of the oaks. It is drawn to these trees as if they were 
magnets, but the chief attraction seems to be the vast num- 
ber of insects that feed upon them. It is safe to say that 
of all the many hundreds of insects that feed upon the oaks 
few escape paying tribute to the Tanager at some period 
of their existence. We are much indebted to this beautiful 
bird for its share in the preservation of these noble and 
valuable trees. It is not particularly active, but, like the 
Vireos, it is remarkably observant, and slowly moves about 
among the branches, continually finding and persistently de- 
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