224 THE SUMMER RED-BIRD. 



in diameter near the roots, either entwined round the trunk of a large tree, 

 and by this means reaching the top branches and extending over them and 

 those of another tree, or, as if by magic, swinging in the air, from roots 

 attached at once to some of the uppermost branches. In favourable seasons, 

 they are laden with grapes, which hang in small clusters from every branch, 

 from which, when they are fully ripe, a good shake will make them fall in 

 astonishing quantity. The skin is thick and very tough, the pulp glutinous, 

 but so peculiarly flavoured as to be very agreeable to the taste. These grapes 

 are eaten by most people, although an idea prevails, in Lower Louisiana 

 particularly, that the eating of them gives rise to bilious fevers. For my 

 part, I can well say, that the more I have eaten of them the better I have 

 found myself; and for this reason seldom lost an opportunity of refreshing 

 my palate with some of them in my rambles. I am equally confident, that 

 their juice would make an excellent wine. Another absurd opinion prevails 

 in Louisiana, which is, that the common blackberries, however ripe and 

 pleasant, produce biles; although the country people make use of a strong 

 decoction of the root as a cure for d} r sentery. 



Male, 7£, 11. 



From Texas to Massachusetts. In the interior to Canada. Abundant. 

 Migratory. 



Summer Red-bird, Tanagra cestlva, Wils. Amer. Orn., vol. i. p. 95. 



Tanagra jestiva, Bonap. Syn., p. 105. 



Summer Red-eird, Tanagra aistiva, Nutt. Man., vol. i. p. 469. 



Summer Red-biud, Tanagra eestiva, Aud. Orn. Biog-., vol. i. p. 232; vol. v. p. 518. 



Adult Male. 



Bill rather short, robust, tapering, compressed, acute; upper mandible a 

 little convex in its dorsal outline, convex on the sides, the acute edge slightly 

 notched near the tip, which is a little declinate; lower mandible also a little 

 convex in its dorsal outline, with the edges inflected. Nostrils basal, lateral, 

 round. Head large. Body rather long. Feet shortish; tarsus compressed, 

 anteriorly scutellate, about the length of the middle toe; outer toe united at 

 the base to the middle one; claws arched, compressed, acute. 



Plumage soft, blended, glossy. Wings of ordinary length, the second 

 quill longest. Tail slightly emarginate, of twelve acute feathers. 



Bill yellowish-brown above, bluish below. Iris hazel. Feet and claws 

 light greyish-blue. The whole plumage is vermilion, brighter on the lower 

 parts, excepting the tips and inner webs of the quills, which are tinged with 

 brown. 



Length 71 inches, extent of wings 11; bill along the ridge -j^, along the 

 gap 1; tarsus §-. 



