“He is very fond of water, both for bathing and drinking, and seldom nests far from it.  Whether he uses the quiet ponds and smooth streams also for a looking-glass to comb his hair and arrange his gay coat by, we cannot be sure, but he always looks as trig as if he had some such aid.

“The Tanager children are curious things.  Sometimes they wear coats of many colors, like Joseph’s.”

“Why is that?” asked Nat.

“The reason is this.  You remember I told you that young birds usually wear plain feathers like their mothers?”

“Oh, yes,” said Rap; “so that it is hard to see them until they have sense enough to take care of themselves.”

“Precisely!  Now, Mother Tanager is greenish and yellow, and Father Tanager is scarlet and black.  The young ones come from the nest looking like their mother, but as they shed their baby clothes and gain new feathers, bits of red and black appear here and there on the little boys, until they look as if they had on a crazy-quilt of red, yellow, green, and black.  You need not wonder that little Tommy Tanager does not care to be seen in such patched clothes, but prefers to stay in the deep woods or travel away until his fine red spring jacket is complete.  Father Tanager also changes his scarlet coat after the nesting.  About the time he counts his children and starts on his southward trip, he puts on a greenish coat like his wife’s gown; but he keeps his black tail and wings, so that the children need not mistake him for their mother.  It is lucky for her that he and the boys have sense enough to put on their own clothes, or such a very dressy family would keep her busy looking after their toilets.”

“These Tanagers aren’t very plenty about here—­are they, Doctor?” asked Rap.

“Not now, my boy; their scarlet feathers are very handsome, and thoughtless, greedy people have shot so many in the nesting season, to sell for bonnet trimmings, that the family is growing small.  But I hope that, by making laws to protect birds and teaching children everywhere what good neighbors and Citizens they are, these beautifully plumed families may increase once more.

“The Scarlet Tanager is the brightest red bird that you will find in the eastern half of the United States, but even he is not as showy as his western cousin, the Louisiana Tanager.”

The Scarlet Tanager

Length about seven inches.

Male:  bright scarlet with black wings and tail.

Female:  light olive-green above, dull yellow below, with dusky wings and tail.

A good Summer Citizen of North America east of the plains and north of Virginia.

Belonging to the guilds of Tree Trappers and Seed Sowers.

THE LOUISIANA TANAGER

“Isn’t this the one I saw in your glass case, Doctor?” asked Rap with great eagerness; “I mean that one like a Scarlet Tanager, but not so red, more of a rose-pink all over, wings and tail too.”