128 SCARLET ‘1.sNAGER. 
he made his drawing. Buffon has afterwards confounded the two 
together, by applying many stories, originally related of the Cardinal 
Grosbeak, to the Scarlet Tanager, and the following he gravely gives 
as his reason for so doing: “We may presume,” says he, “that when 
travellers talk of the warble of the Cardinal, they mean the Scarlet 
Cardinal, for the other Cardinal is of the genus of the Grosbeaks, 
consequently a silent bird.”* This silent bird, however, has been 
declared by an eminent English naturalist to be almost equal to their 
own Nightingale! The count also quotes the following passage from 
Charlevoix to prove the same point, which, if his translator has done 
him justice, evidently proves the reverse. “It is scarcely more than 
a hundred leagues,” says this traveller, “south of Canada that the 
Cardinal begins to be seen. ‘Their song is sweet, their plumage 
beautiful, and their head wears a crest.” But the Scarlet Tanager is 
found even in Canada, as well as a hundred leagues to the south, 
while the Cardinal Grosbeak is not found in any great numbers north 
of Maryland. The latter, therefore, it is highly probable, was the 
bird meant by Charlevoix, and not the Scarlet Tanager. Buffon also 
quotes an extract of a letter from Cuba, which, if the circumstance it 
relates be true, is a singular proof of the estimation in which the 
Spaniards hold the Cardinal Grosbeak. “On Wednesday arrived at 
the port of Havannah, a bark from Florida, loaded with Cardinal birds, 
skins, and fruit. The Spaniards bought the Cardinal birds at so high 
a price as ten dollars apiece; and, notwithstanding the public distress, 
spent on them the sum of 18,000 dollars!” * 
With a few facts more I shall conclude the history of the Scarlet 
Tanager: When you approach the nest, the male keeps cautiously at 
a distance, as if fearful of being seen; while the female hovers around 
in the greatest agitation and distress. When the young leave the 
nest, the male parent takes a most active part in feeding and attend- 
ing them, and is then altogether indifferent of concealment. 
Passing through an orchard one morning, I caught one of these young 
birds, that had but lately left the nest. I carried it with me about half 
a mile, to show it to my friend, Mr. William Bartram; and, having 
procured a cage, hung it up on one of the large pine-trees in the 
botanic garden, within a few feet of the nest of an Orchard Oriole, 
which also contained young; hopeful that the charity or tenderness of 
the Orioles would induce them to supply the cravings of the stranger. 
But charity with them, as with too many of the human race, began and 
ended at home. The poor orphan was altogether neglected, notwith- 
standing its plaintive cries; aad, as it refused to be fed by me, I was 
about to return it back to the place where I found it, when, towards the 
afternoon, a Scarlet Tanager, no doubt its own parent, was seen flutter- 
ing round the cage, endeavoring togetin. Finding this impracticable, 
he flew off, and soon returned with food in his bill, and continued to 
feed it till after sunset; taking up his lodgings on the higher branches 
of the same tree. In the morning, almost as soon as day broke, he 
was again seen most actively engaged in the same affectionate man- 
ner; and, notwithstanding the insolence of the Orioles, continued his 
benevolent offices the whole day, roosting at night as before. On the 
* Burron ‘ol. iv. p. 209. t GmeLir CarERL. 
