228 
TANAGRA RUBRA. 
before he recovers his scarlet dress, or whether 
M; 
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contiimesjof this greenish colour all winter, I am ***' 
to say. The iris of the eye is of a cream colour, 
legs and feet, light blue. The female is green uh®'.' 
and yellow below ; the wings and tail, brownish jj 
edged with green. The young birds, during 
residence here the first season, continue nearly ^ 
tV 
same colour with the female. In this circumstance , 
again recognize the wise provision of the Deitj', i® . j 
crothing the female, and ‘the inexperienced young; 
garb so favourable for concealment among the 
as the weakness of the one, and the frequent 
the other to her nest, would greatly endanger the 5*^3 
of all. That the young- males do not receive theif.^. 
plumage until the early part of the succeeding 
T ..1 circumstance 
1 think lugu^ iruiii me ciruuiusi.e'- - jj, 
frequently finding their red feathers, at that 
intermixed with green ones, and the wings also hr®®m 
edged with green. These facts render it also pr®** ,3 
that the old males regularly change their colour, 
have a summer and winter dress; but this, 
observations must determine. ■(> 
There is in the Brazils a bird of the same genus 
this, and very much resembling it, so much so *■ 
have been ^frequently confounded with it by Eur®lp, 
writers. It is the tanagra Brazilia of Turton j 'm 
though so like, is yet a very distinct species fro'® 
present, as I have myself had the opportunity of 
taining, by examining two very perfect specimens ‘ ^ 
Brazil, now in the possc.s.sion of Mr Peale, and ® 
paring them with this. The principal differences ‘j,t 
these : The plumage of the Brazilian is almost b!"® 
bottom, very deep scarlet at the surface, and of an ®r*.i<> 
tint between ; ours is ash coloured at bottom, w'h' ^ 
the middle, and bright scarlet at top. The tail of %,,■ 
is forked, that of the other, cuneiform, or rounded- 
bill of our species is more inflated, and of a gcg^.j^li 
yellow colour ; the other’s is black above, and " 
below, towards the base. The whole plumage 
i.i!' 
southern species is of a coarser, stiffer quality, 
larly on the head. The wings and tail, in both, are ® ‘ 
