S C A R L E T TAN AGEE.
TANAGRA RÚBEA, I.inn. ' .
PlâïES 'qf f i l t t . ' i l i l l l AND FÈMALE.
1 V(!i: llave mnv before ycm representations'of one'of the-most richly
'coloured, of our birds, and'one whose history is' in some degree" peculiar.
The Scarlet Tïmager enters the United States from .Mexico,
through the Texas,, in the beginning of April.. On several of the
islands in the Bay of Mexico, I found it exceedkglyafeisdiM/and restrained
in a great -measure from prOfceedimg eastward by the weather,
which was unseasonably cold'. Many were procured' iti their M l dress-,
and a'few in the garb of tho''feiiales:; These pMáícolonrél¡ individuals
turned all initio be males, which iri'sS far confirmed my former tfWservatidns
respecting this and several other species, in which the mâles ,
precede thefemalcs by «bout a,fortnight In their spring miuralioiii. 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'breai-ted Snipe, Swh/jm Xorehoraremk : and I became con
vinced that nearly the same phenomenon took plac-g in the Tanagors.
In them, ill fact, the older individuals, being stronger, had attained
thciíi.fuli colouring, while the ypwigbr Wet#flater in changing. • As
wo advance!!,' I procured many specimens partially coloured, and when
the males had mostly passed, thé females made their appearance ; manifesting
similar gradations in the changes of their colours. I knew that
many of the mal&of this species reach our Middle District? in a spotted
l i p s , and ilion after acquire their full colours ; and I am disposed to
think that in the àutnnmal months, the young males of tile year become
of a much purer tint than that- of the young 0 r old females, The
latter themselves improve materially in this respect as they advance
in ages and I have some nearly twice us richly coloured birds only a.
yete old. The same observations apply t.» out-. Hummer lied Bird;
Tamagfa, cestiva, of which I have females, procured by my valued
friend Eewakd Harris, Esq., e^ifoitmg.' tkts -nearly as bright as
those of their mates obtained at the same time, when they had nests.
In the Scarlet Tariager it is remarkable, moreover, .that some males
SCARLET TANAGER. 389'
acquire a beautiful transverse band of glowing red on the smaller
wing-coverts;:, and! X have several specimens in this state,, presented to
me by Mr Harris and l)r Teddeau.
The Scarlet Tanager proceeds as far northward as Lake Huron,
where-it was observed by l)r Riohariison ; but this must happen rarely,
as it. is.very sensible to cold, so much so indeed, that in the State of Massachusetts
should a sudden change take place in the weather, during the
time/if their spring migrations, hundred-« die in the course of a- night, not
only in the woods ami orchards, but even in tliQ towns and villages. I
witnessed a like oCcUrrence.at Eastport in Mainelate inMa,y, when I-was
on. my way to Labrador , and as I was proceeding to the Texas. I observed
that they ¡sought the -shelter of the low bushes, when the weather
was damp or chill. None were soon after we left the former place,
though they arc at times found breeding in the British provinces of New
Brunswick and Nova Seotia. In the l.'nited States' they seem extremely
partial i.o certain districts, generally preferring sandy soils and
undulating grounds. Thus, I found them breeding abundantly in Louisiana.
but rarely there ill the, lower parts. My friend Dr Bachman
informs me that they are seldom met with in the maritime districts.of
South Carolina; and that there they follow the mountain range as it
were for a- guide. Yet they are plentiful in the Jerseys, where they
usually arrive.about the middle of May, in Kentucky, and along the
Missouri;;,: and, in short, are generally dispersed over the Union.
The migrations of this species are performed by night. Its flight
on ordinary occasions is even and swift, and it passes through the woods
ill a gliding matiner, when the glowing colours of the males render them
as conspicuous as,pleasing to the sight. On the brandies' their movements
are rather sedate,-, and it is but seldom tluit they emit their
usual notes when in motion These are by no means musical, although
oft repeated. They have been iveil imitated bv Wu.sow who represents
them by the syllables " chip, c/'iirr." I have not, however, thought
tlie.m pensive in any degree, but rather lively ; and when emitting
them, the bird often inflates his throat, stands erect,, and vibrates his
body, as if in perfect eestaey.
It is by no means true, as authors allege, that the Scarlet Tanager
retires from the sight of man, and prefers, the deepest, recesses of the
forest to the neighbourhood of the husbandman's cottage; at least,
this is not the ease in those .parts of our country where the population
is not very dense; _ for I have observed it to take up its. abode for. a