SCARLET TANAGER, OR BLACK-WINGED RED-BIRD. 
228 
notwithstanding the difference in the temperature of our Southern and 
Northern States, the young are no sooner able to travel than they are at once 
led off, so that families may be seen travelling southward for many weeks in 
succession, and by the end of September all have left the United States. 
The eggs are from three to five, smooth, of a dull greenish-blue colour, 
speckled with reddish-brown and light purple, and measure a little more 
than seven-eighths of an inch in length, by five-eighths in breadth. The 
young are fed with insects and fruits of many sorts. At this period the 
old birds feed also on insects and larvas, but towards the latter period of 
their stay they all subsist chiefly on the smaller berries and grapes. 
The parental affection of this bird has been so beautifully and truly 
described by Wilson, that, in presenting the following statement regarding 
it, I must contribute to the gratification of your kindly feelings as much as 
of my own. “ Passing through an orchard one morning, I caught one of the 
young birds that had but lately left the nest. I carried it with me about 
half a mile, to shew it to my friend, Mr. William Bartram; and having 
procured a cage, hung it upon one of the large pine trees in the Botanic 
Garden, within a few feet of the nest of an Orchard Oriole, which also con- 
tained young ; hopeful that the charity or tenderness of the Orioles avould 
induce them to supply the cravings of the stranger. But charity with them, 
as with too many of the human race, began and ended at home. The poor 
orphan was altogether neglected, notwithstanding its plaintive cries ; and, as 
it refused to be fed by me, I was about to return it back to the place where 
I found it, when, towards the afternoon, a Scarlet Tanager, no doubt its own 
parent, was seen fluttering round the cage, endeavouring to get in. Finding 
this impracticable, he flew off, and soon returned with food in his bill ; and 
continued to feed it till after sunset, taking up his lodgings on the higher 
branches of the same tree. In the morning, almost as soon as day broke, he 
was again seen most actively engaged in the same affectionate manner ; and, 
notwithstanding the insolence of the Orioles, continued his benevolent offices 
the whole day, roosting at night as before. On the third or fourth day, he 
appeared extremely solicitous for the liberation of his charge, using every 
expression of distressful anxiety, and every call and invitation that nature 
had put in his power, for him to come out. This was too much for the 
feelings of my venerable friend ; he procured a ladder, and, mounting to the 
spot where the bird was suspended, opened the cage, took out the prisoner, 
and restored him to liberty and to his parent, who, with notes of great exul- 
tation, accompanied his flight to the woods. The happiness of my good 
friend was scarcely less complete, and showed itself in his benevolent counte- 
nance; and I could not refrain saying to myself, — If such sweet sensations 
can be derived from a single circumstance of this kind, how exquisite — how 
