g$ summer red bird. 



approaching the neighbourhood of her nest. She is, however, 

 rarely seen, and usually mute, and scarcely to be distinguished 

 from the colour of the foliage at a distance ; while the loqua- 

 city and brilliant red of the male make him very conspicuous ; 

 and when seen among the green leaves, particularly if the 

 light falls strongly on his plumage, he has a most beautiful 

 and elegant appearance. It is worthy of remark, that the 

 females of almost all our splendid feathered birds are drest in 

 plain and often obscure colours, as if Providence meant to 

 favour their personal concealment, and, consequently, that of 

 their nest and young, from the depredations of birds of prey ; 

 while, among the latter, such as eagles, owls, hawks, &c, 

 which are under no such apprehension, the females are 

 uniformly covered with richer coloured plumage than the 

 males. 



The summer red bird delights in a flat sandy country 

 covered with wood, and interspersed with pine trees ; and is 

 consequently more numerous towards the shores of the Atlantic 

 than in the interior. In both Carolinas, and in Georgia and 

 Florida, they are in great plenty. In Mexico some of them 

 are probably resident, or at least winter there, as many other 

 of our summer visitants are known to do. In the northern 

 States they are very rare ; and I do not know that they have 

 been found either in Upper or Lower Canada. Du Pratz, in 

 his " History of Louisiana," has related some particulars of this 

 bird, which have been repeated by almost every subsequent 

 writer on the subject, viz., that "it inhabits the woods on the 

 Mississippi, and collects against winter a vast magazine of 

 maize, which it carefully conceals with dry leaves, leaving 

 only a small hole for entrance ; aud is so jealous of it, as never 

 to quit its neighbourhood, except to drink." It is probable, 

 though I cannot corroborate the fact, that individuals of this 

 species may winter near the Mississippi ; but that, in a climate 

 so moderate, and where such an exuberance of fruits, seeds, 

 and berries is to be found, even during winter, this, or any 

 other bird, should take so much pains in hoarding a vast 



