OUR HOME BIRDS. 
173 
however, rarely seen, and usually mute, and scarcely 
to be distinguished from the color of the foliage at 
a distance ; while the loquacity 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 dressed 
in plain and often obscure colors, as if Providence 
meant to favor 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, which are 
under no such apprehension, the females are uni- 
formly covered with richer-colored plumage than 
the males.’ 
“ The nest of the red-bird is made in the woods, 
usually on the horizontal branch of an evergreen, 
about ten or twelve feet from the grouud ; the mate- 
rials are broken stalks of dry flax, lined with fine 
grass, and there are three light-blue eggs. The 
family leave for the South about the middle of 
August, after a stay of less than four months.” 
15 * 
