64 
The Black Tanager. 
The young- are now scarcely to be distinguished from their 
mother, having lost the greyishness of the nestling garment, 
and as they both now possess the rich sheen of the adult, I 
opine that they are two hens. 
But, I seem to hear some one saying: "How did you 
feed them ? " as 1 am told, even though it has often appeared 
before, that to meet the needs of all readers, the menu should 
alivai/fi be given. This is not always easy when one keeps 
a cosmopolitan crowd in the same aviary. However, here is 
my daily menu. A seed mixture of canary, millets, paddy rice, 
hemp, sunflower, rape, maw, and various wild seeds; the two 
first named items forming- the bulk of the mixture. Tnsectile 
mixture, to which grocer's currants ai'e added (for the sake of 
Waxwings, Ouzels and Starling^s) and I find the Tanag'ers 
and Fruitsuckors are fond of these, about 2 lb. of currants, per 
week, l;eing consumed in my aviary. Milk-sop — Nestle's milk, 
Mellin's Food, and sponge cake mixed with boiling water is 
constantly supplied; the same applies to fruit. The Black 
Tanagers help themselves to all including a considerable a- 
mount of seed. 
I am afraid I am lavish in the supply of live food: 
wheti ohtamable a 71b. box of mealworms only lasts me about 
two months, or less. Except for special birds with young-, I 
supply these twice a day, and usually scatter a couple of hand- 
fuls " helter-skelter " about the aviary and leave the birds to 
forage for themselves. Such is my method also of distributing 
live ants' eggs, gentles, etc. Of course, such pets as Gold- 
fronted Fruitsuckers and Indian Flycatchers get their supplies 
from my fingers or come to hand for them. 
I would remark that Black Tanagers arc great ily- 
catchers, and that their wing evolutions in pursuit of g-ame are 
most striking and interesting. In spite of the lack of gorgeous 
hues. Black Tanagers are bonny birds. 
Now, my yarn is finished^ I am ashamed at its inordin- 
ate length, but I trust it will interest some of my readers. 
At any rate the blame must lie with some of these, as I have 
been twitted with being too sparing in detail. 
