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SCAELET TAN AGEE, OE BLACK-WINGED EED-BIED 
PyranCxA rubra, Linn . 
PLATE CCIX. — Male and Female. 
You have now before you a representation of one of the most richly 
coloured of our birds, and one whose history is in some degree peculiar. 
The Scarlet Tanager enters the United States from Mexico, through the 
Texas, in the beginning of April. On several of the islands in the Gulf of 
Mexico, I found it exceedingly abundant, and restrained in a great measure 
from proceeding eastward by the weather, which was unseasonably cold. 
Many were procured in their full dress, and a few in the garb of the females. 
These plain-coloured individuals turned out to be males, which in so far 
confirmed my former observations respecting this and several other species, 
in which the males precede the females by about a fortnight in their spring- 
migrations. It was at the same period that I observed the wonderful rapidity 
in the change of the plumage from its winter aspect to its summer colouring 
in the Red-breasted Snipe, Scolopax Noveboracensis ; and I became con- 
vinced that nearly the same phenomenon took place in the Tanagers. In 
them, in fact, the older individuals, being stronger, had attained their full 
colouring, while the younger were later in changing. As we advanced, I 
procured many specimens partially coloured, and when the males had mostly 
passed, the females made their appearance ; manifesting similar gradations in 
the changes of their colours. I knew that many of the males of this species 
reach our Middle Districts in a spotted dress, and soon after acquire their 
full colours ; and I am disposed to think that in the autumnal months, the 
young males of the year become of a much purer tint than that of the young 
or old females. The latter improve themselves materially in this respect as 
they advance in age, and I have some nearly twice as richly coloured as 
birds only a year old. The same observations apply to our Summer Red- 
bird, Tanagra (Estiva , of which I have females, procured by my valued 
friend Edward Harris, Esq., exhibiting tints nearly as bright as those of 
their mates obtained at the same time, when they had nests. In the Scarlet 
Tanager it is remarkable, moreover, that some males acquire a beautiful trans- 
verse band of glowing red on the smaller wing-coverts ; and I have several 
specimens in this state, presented to me by Mr. Harris and Dr. Trudeau. 
The Scarlet Tanager proceeds as far northward as Lake Huron, where it 
