Cambridge, Mass.
1912.
 Nov 9
(No 2)
[November 9, 1912]

Tanager, P. rubra [Piranga rubra](?) in our Garden.

opera glass, I was able to make out its coloring very much 
more satisfactorily than on the 7th [November 7, 1912]. As on that occasion I was 
impressed by the absence of greenish on the upper parts, by the 
saffron yellow tinge of the rump and by the strongly reddish tail. 
In addition I now noticed for the first time that the wings 
were covered by two inconspicuous bands of yellowish green, 
that the secondaries had light colored spots on their tips and 
that the bill was light brownish in color. The bird's movements 
seemed decidedly more spirited and active than those of the 
Scarlet Tanager, its features more prominent and grotesque. At 
frequent intervals it abruptly both slowly raised and depressed 
its tail in the manner of a Hermit Thrush. The longer I noticed 
it the more convinced I became that despite its small size 
it must be a Summer Tanager. Unfortunately it remained 
to-day, as on the 7th [November 7, 1912], perfectly silent. Finally I decided to 
shoot it but was unable to find any suitable cartridges for 
the collecting pistol & when I returned to the garden the Tanager had 
disappeared.