98 
SUMMER RED BIRD. 
chattering, approaching nearly to the rapid pronunciation of 
cliicky-tucky-tuck , chicky-tucky-tuck , when she sees any person 
approaching the neighbourhood of her nest. She is, however, 
rarely seen, and usually mute, and scarcely to be distinguished i 
from the colour of the foliage at a distance ; while the loqua- 
city and brilliant red of the male make him very conspicuous ; I 
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 ;i 
females of almost all our splendid feathered birds are drest in L 
plain and often obscure colours, as if Providence meant to u 
favour their personal concealment, and, consequently, that of 
their nest and young, from the depredations of birds of prey ; ij 
while, among the latter, such as Eagles, Owls, Hawks, & c. 1 
which are under no such apprehension, the females are i 
uniformly covered with richer coloured plumage than the i 
males. |l 
The Summer Red Bird delights in a flat sandy country 
covered with wood, and interspersed with pine trees ; and is j! 
consequently more numerous towards the shores of the Atlantic fe 
than in the interior. In both Carolinas, and in Georgia and i 
Florida, they are in great plenty. In Mexico some of them ; 
are probably resident, or, at least, winter there, as many other 
of our summer visitants are known to do. In the northern 
states they are very rare ; and I do not know that they have ji 
been found either in Upper or Lower Canada. Du Pratz, in jj 
his History of Louisiana^ has related some particulars of this 
bird, which have been repeated by almost every subsequent 
writer on the subject, viz. that 6( it inhabits the woods on the ij 
Mississippi, and collects against winter a vast magazine of i 
maize, which it carefully conceals with dry leaves, leaving i 
only a small hole for entrance ; and is so jealous of it, as never 
to quit its neighbourhood, except to drink.” It is probable, < 
though I cannot corroborate the fact, that individuals of this 
species may winter near the Mississippi ; but that, in a climate 
