SCARLET TANAGER. 
197 
skins, and fruit. The Spaniards bought the Cardinal birds at so 
high a price as ten dollars a-piece ; and, notwithstanding the 
public distress, spent on them the sum of 18,000 dollars !”* 
With a few facts more I shall conclude the history of the 
Scarlet Tanager : When you approach the nest, the male 
keeps cautiously at a distance, as if fearful of being seen ; 
while the female hovers around in the greatest agitation and 
distress. When the young leave the nest, the male parent 
takes a most active part in feeding and attending them, and is 
then altogether indifferent of concealment. 
Passing through an orchard one morning, I caught one of 
these 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 up 
on one of the large pine trees in the botanic garden, within a 
few feet of the nest of an Orchard Oriole, which also contained 
young ; hopeful that the charity or tenderness of the Orioles 
would 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 con- 
tinued 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, 
* Gmelli Carers 
