THE SCARLET TANAGER. 117 
clouds and seeking below and around with flashing eye for his audacious 
competitor, expressed his surprise that he could not see him, the little 
"Tom Thumb," suddenly lifting his head out of the Ogre's plumage, 
sounded in his ear a song of victory, which surprised him still more. 
As this species of trickery is not generally a characteristic of heroes, 
Toussenel finds it difficult to admit the absolute authenticity of the 
foregoing legend. He gives as his reason for reproducing it, that it is 
a proof of the opinion which, in a remote antiquity, all serious observers 
had formed respecting the chai'acteristic tendencies of the troglodyte. 
THE TANAGER AND THE TIT. 
But from this pleasant gossip we must turn to more serious matters. 
We pass over the nut-hatch, and the snow-bird, and the chat, and the 
bunting, to glance for a moment, before we travel further north, at 
the tanager and the titmouse. 
One of the gayest of birds is the scarlet tanager. He is dressed in the 
richest scarlet, relieved by jetty black, and really makes a very handsome 
appearance. Seen against a background of dark-green foliage, he presents 
" a bit of colour " which artists know how to appreciate. The favourable 
impression which he thus produces is not lessened upon closer acquaint- 
ance. He is not a musician of any special merit; but his song is by no 
means disagreeable. Then, as to his individual charactei', he is modest, 
gentle, inoffensive. The husbandman has no reason to dread his visits, 
for he renders him considerable assistance by waging war against noxious 
insects, such as wasps, hornets, beetles. He has a weakness for fruit; but 
this may well be pardoned in consideration of the services he renders. 
The female is not so daintily attired as her mate. She goes about 
in sober plumage, green above and yellow below, the wings and tail 
brownish black, edged with green. The young birds, in their first 
season, are similarly coloured; a circumstance in which, as the great 
American ornithologist remarks, we must recognize a wise provision 
of the Creator. The garb worn by the mother and her off'spring is 
peculiarly suitable for concealment among the foliage at a time 
when the weakness of the latter, and the frequent visits of the former 
to her nest, would imperil their mutual safety. 
