226 BIRDS OF THE WORLD 



scarlet plumage, and replace it with the greenish 

 colours of his mate ; but the black wings and tail are 

 retained. The song of the Scarlet Tanager is char- 

 acterised as "a loud, cheery, rhythmical carol, sug- 

 gesting the song of the Robin." 



Another exquisitely coloured species is the Summer 

 Redbird, or Summer Tanager, also common in the 

 eastern part of this country as far north as Canada. 

 This bird is a rich rose-red over the entire body, and 

 the female is greenish and yellow, closely resembling 

 the female of the preceding species. 



The Little Calliste, or Paradise Tanager, is shown 

 as a good example of the vividness which some of 

 these birds display in their plumage. It is one of the 

 Central and South American species, and is fairly 

 common as a cage-bird. See Plate 19, Fig. 113. 



Crows 



Although in the past there has been much difference 

 of opinion among ornithologists as to which family of 

 birds is entitled to the highest place in their class, it 

 is now generally conceded that the Crows are the most 

 perfectly developed of all the Passerine birds. In 

 both sexes, and in all stages of development, the 

 plumage is practically the same; each primary and 

 wing-covert is perfect in structure; and the scales on 

 legs and feet are more strongly marked than in any 

 of the other birds. And although most of the family 

 have no powers of song, their voices being extremely 

 harsh and disagreeable, the voice-muscles of all are 

 remarkably well developed. The Anstralian Piping 

 Crow, a beautiful bird having plumage varied with 



