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THE COURIER.
The Scarlet Tanager.
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Tho Scarlet Tanagur is olo of the
moet brillinntly plumagcd birdi we
have. As he Hits about amid the
greeu foliage of tho trees, hia bright
Bcarlet feathers trimmed with jot, give
him the appearance of a tire brand dart
ing through the air. Though not a
common bird in this part of tho state, wo
may, by seeking for Bcarlet tanajjers,
rind them occasionally in tho more
secluded parts of tho woods, near
any of our creekB, where tho
trees and vines are imat dense.
I have found moro of them near
Emerald than nny other place arouud
Lincoln. While the Scarlet Tanager U
not one of our best singers, yet.bi notjs
are soft, mellow and pleasing, and rather
subdued, quite ditferent from the clear
piping Hint-like notes of the orioles. Ho
has a ehv disposition and ono muBi, in
order to enjoy his society, approach him
cautiously, for at the snipping or dry
twigs under foot or tho brushing of
branches he is otT. and after he has been
once alarmed wo may find it ditlicult to
make his acquaintance.
These beautiful birds are not as good
architects as many of our other birds.
They build their little homB with small
roots and gftss rather loo3ely woven to
gether, and when standing under the
nest and looking up toward it, if Mrs.
Tanager is not at homo busily engaged
with, her household duties, you can see
the light shining through between the
loosely woven fibers. The eggs, three to
five in number, are of a dull, greenish
blue color. The first year and part of
the second tho plumage of tho young
is like that of the.female, a light olivo
color; after the second year the young
males gradually assume the bright sear
let colors of the old male bird. Tho
color of the mnte Tanager in full plum
age is a bright scar'.ct gradually shading
down the breast to a dark brilliant red.
the wings and tail are jet black, mak
ing a strong contrast to the bright red
colors. They have a large, Btrong, tnicic
beak, which they use to good advantage
in cracking the hard seeds they feed on.
Thev are also fond of small fruits, wild
grapes and elder berries. The attach
ment, of the parent birds lor tneir young
is very strong, as shown by Wilson's ac
count of his experience with a young
bird: "One day while passing through
an orchard, and seeing one of those
birds that had but lately left the nest, I
carried it with me to show to a friend a
half mile away, and having procured a
cage, hung it up in a tree near the
nest of an orchard oriole, which also
contained young. I was hopeful that
the charityand kindness of the orioles
would induce them to supply the crav
ings 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 Beglected.
Notwithstanding its plaintive cries, and
as it refused to be fed by me I was about
to return it to the place where I fouml
it, when toward evening a Scarlet Tan
ager. no doubt its parent, was seen flut
tering round the cage, endeavoring to
get in, finding this impossible he flew off
and soon returned with food in his bill
and continued to feed it till sunset, tak
ing up his lodgings on the higher
branches of the tame tree. In the morn
ing, almost as soon as day-break he was
again seerfmost actively engaged in the
same affectionate manner, and i.otwitn
standing the insolence of the orioles,
continued his tenevolent offices the
whole day, roosfiDg at night as before.
On the third day be appeared extremely
eolicitious for the liberation of his
charge, using every call and invention
. ..... k.i rnt in hisnower for him
to come out." This was too much for
my venerable friend, he procured a lad
,i i ,,,f;nfr tr where the bird was
suspended, opened the cage, took out the
. .i -. .wl him tn lihorf ir. and
prisoner anu mm u. . -.,, -
his parent who, with notes of great exul
tation, accompanied him in hw flight to
the woods. AUG. EICHl.
