DESCRIPTION
Of a mature male, from near Philadelphia, in Mr. Swainson’s museum.
C olour.—Bill yellowish-white (pure white in the live bird, according to Wilson).
General colour of the upper plumage, together with the whole of the head and throat, deep
black. The lesser covers are marked with a conspicuous white spot, which is placed in the
middle of this part of the wing, and which, consequently, does not form a band : most of the
greater covers are terminated externally, by an oval white spot, particularly those nearest the
tertials ; similar spots, but still smaller, are at the ends of the tertials and secondary quills :
primary quills deep black for rather more than half their length, the basal part being pure
white. Lower part of the back and rump white, irregularly varied with black. Tail deep
black, the three outer feathers having a large oval white spot on their inner webs, occupying
more than half the length of the feathers. Under surface.—Front of the breast with a large
patch of bright and deep.'carmine or rose-colour, narrowing into a line down the middle of
the body ; under wing covers the same : rest of the under plumage white, with a few black
stripes down the middle of the flank feathers- Legs and feet, according to Wilsonftight-blue.
Eyes hazel.
F orm, typical of the American division of the genus. Bill strong, culmen gently curved,
profile of the gonyx straight; under mandible rather thicker and deeper than the upper, with
an internal tooth at its base ; commissure considerably angulated towards the base and
sinuated beyond,—both having a slight and almost obsolete notch at their tips. Nostrils
round, not concealed. Wings moderate, rather pointed: second and third quills equal and
longest; first and fourth equal, the rest considerably shorter: lesser quills with their ends
abruptly truncated and somewhat emarginate. Tail rather lengthened; all the feathers
equal *, except the two outer pair, which are slightly graduated. Tarsi obviously longer
than the hallux. Inner toe shortest; hinder claw broader, stronger, and more curved, but
not so long as that of the middle toe.
The reader is referred to Wilson for an elaborate description of the female and young
male.
D imensions.
_ Tota.l. l engt,h . . • . . . . Inc8h es. Length of tarsus Inches.
„ of tail . . . . . 3 ,, of middle toe and claw . . . _s_
« of folded wing - . . . . 4 ^ „ of hind toe and claw . . . _<l.
7„7 . of bill from rictns . , v* IzMu, —-Sw.
* Wilson says “ f or k e d t h i s must be a mistake : probably he alluded to its being divaricated, that is, the feathers
on each side forming a sort of fasciculus : this is observed in all birds having the shaft of the middle tail feathers very
near the outer margin.—Sw.
[84.] 1. Pyranga rubra. (Swainson.) Scarlet Black-winged Tanager.
Stjb-f a m il y , Tanagrime, Sw ain s. Genus, (?) Pyranga, V i e il l o t . Sub-genus, --------- P
Scarlet Sparrow. E dwards, pi. 343.
Canada Tanager. P enn. Arct. Z o o lii., p. 369, No. 237« Male.
Olive Tanager. Idem, No. 238. Female and Young.
Cardinal de Canada. Bbjss. Or»., iii., p. 348, pi. 2, f. 5.
Scarlet Tanager. Wils., ii., p. 42, pi. 11, f. 3, male; f. 4, female.
Pyranga Erythropis. Vie il . Ency. Meth., p. 799.
Tanagra rubra. B onap. Syn., p. 105, No. 160.
This splendid bird was seen by us on Lake Huron only; and its most northern
range is probably the forty-ninth parallel. Wilson’s history of its manners,
wound up as it is with an elegant and tender compliment to his venerable friend
Mr. Bartram, is one of his happiest efforts, and leaves nothing to be added by
casual observers.—R.
DESCRIPTION
Of a male, killed at Penetanguishene, on Lake Huron.
C olour of the whole plumage, except the wings and tail, most vivid carmine-red. Wing
coverts, posterior secondaries, and middle tail feathers, black ; the primaries, adjoining
secondaries, and lateral tail feathers, brown; insides of the wings and tail beneath grey.
Bill pale horn-colour. Irides cream-yellow. Legs bluish-grey.—F orm, typical.
The male, after the autumn moult, is dappled with greenish-yellow.
The female is green above and yellow below; the wings and tail brownish-black, edged
with green.
Dimensions.
Inch. Lin.
Length, total . . . 7 0
„ of tail . . 3 0
„ of wing , . 3 8
„ of bijl above . 0 7
of bill from rictus . 0
Lin.
7* Length of middle nail . 0
Lin.
2*
of tarsus . 0 9 „ of hind toe. . 0 3£
of middle toe. . 0 6§ ,, of its nail . 0 3