rations Early May。 Middle of September。 Common summer resident。
A flash of fire through the air； a rich； high； whistled song floating in the wake of the feathered meteor： the Baltimore oriole cannot be mistaken。 When the orchards are in blossom he arrives in full plumage and song； and awaits the coming of the female birds； that travel northward more leisurely in flocks。 He is decidedly in evidence。 No foliage is dense enough to hide his brilliancy； his temper； quite as fiery as his feathers； leads him into noisy quarrels； and his insistent song with its martial； interrogative notes becomes almost tiresome until he is happily mated and family cares check his enthusiasm。
Among the best architects in the world is his plain but energetic mate。 Gracefully swung from a high branch of some tall tree； the nest is woven with exquisite skill into a long； flexible pouch that rain cannot penetrate； nor wind shake from its horsehair moorings。 Bits of string； threads of silk； and sometimes yarn of the gayest colors； if laid about the shrubbery in the garden； will be quickly interwoven with the shreds of bark and milkweed stalks that the bird has found afield。 The shape of the nest often differs； because in unsettled regions； where hawks abound； it is necessary to make it deeper than seven inches （the customary depth when it is built near the homes of men）； and to partly close it at the top to conceal the sitting bird。 From four to six whitish eggs； scrawled over with black…brown； are hatched by the mother oriole； and most jealously guarded by her now truly domesticated mate。
The number of grubs； worms； flies； caterpillars； and even cocoons； that go to satisfy the hunger of a family of orioles in a day； might indicate； if it could be computed； the great value these birds are about our homes； aside from the good cheer they bring。
There is a popular tradition about the naming of this gorgeous bird： When George Calvert； the first Lord Baltimore； worn out and discouraged by various hardships in his Newfoundland colony； decided to visit Virginia in 1628； he wrote that nothing in the Chesapeake country so impressed him as the myriads of birds in its woods。 But the song and color of the oriole particularly cheered and delighted him； and orange and black became the heraldic colors of the first lords proprietors of Maryland。
Hush！ 'tis he！ My Oriole； my glance of summer fire； Is come at last； and ever on the watch； Twitches the pack…thread I had lightly wound About the bough to help his housekeeping。 Twitches and scouts by turns； blessing his luck； Yet fearing me who laid it in his way。 Nor； more than wiser we in our affairs； Divines the Providence that hides and helps。 Heave； ho！ Heave； ho！ he whistles as the twine Slackens its hold； once more； now！ and a flash Lightens across the sunlight to the elm Where his mate dangles at her cup of felt。 James Russell Lowell。
BIRDS CONSPICUOUSLY RED OF ANY SHADE
Cardinal Grosbeak Summer Tanager Scarlet Tanager Pine Grosbeak American Crossbill and the White…winged Crossbill Redpoll and Greater Redpoll Purple Finch Robin Orchard Oriole
See the Red…winged Blackbird （Black）。 See also the males of the Rose…breasted Grosbeak； the Woodpeckers； the Chewink （Black and White）； the Red…breasted Nuthatch； the Bay…breasted and the Chestnut…sided Warblers （Slate and Gray）； the Bluebird and Barn Swallow （Blue）； the Flicker （Brown）； the Humming…bird and the Kinglets （Greenish Gray）； and the Blackburnian and Redstart Warblers； and the Baltimore Oriole （Orange）。
BIRDS CONSPICUOUSLY RED OF ANY SHADE
CARDINAL GROSBEAK （Cardinalis cardinalis） Finch family
Called also： CRESTED REDBIRD； VIRGINIA REDBIRD； VIRGINIA NIGHTINGALE； CARDINAL BIRD； ＇NORTHERN CARDINAL； AOU 1998＇
Length 8 to 9 inches。 A little smaller than the robin。 Male Brilliant cardinal； chin and band around bill black。 Beak stout and red。 Crest conspicuous。 In winter dress； wings washed with gray。 Female Brownish yellow above； shading to gray below。 Tail shorter than the male's。 Crest； wings； and tail reddish。 Breast sometimes tinged with red。 Range Eastern United States。 A Southern bird； becoming more and more common during the summer in States north of Virginia； especially in Ohio； south of which it is resident throughout the year。 Migrations Resident rather than migrating birds； remaining throughout the winter in localities where they have found their way。 Travel in flocks。
Among the numerous names by which this beautiful bird is known； it has become immortalized under the title of Mr。 James Lane Allen's exquisite book； 〃The Kentucky Cardinal。〃 Here； while we are given a most charmingly sympathetic； delicate account of the bird 〃who has only to be seen or heard； and Death adjusts an arrow；〃 it is the cardinal's pathetic fate that impresses one most。 Seen through less poetical eyes； however； the bird appears to be a haughty autocrat； a sort of 〃F。 F。 V。〃 among the feathered tribes； as； indeed； his title； 〃Virginia redbird；〃 has been unkindly said to imply。 Bearing himself with a refined and courtly dignity； not stooping to soil his feet by walking on the ground like the more democratic robin； or even condescending below the level of the laurel bushes； the cardinal is literally a shining example of self…conscious superiority a bird to call forth respect and admiration rather than affection。 But a group of cardinals in a cedar tree in a snowy winter landscape makes us forgetful of everything but their supreme beauty。
As might be expected in one of the finch family； the cardinal is a songster the fact which； in connection with his lovely plumage； accounts for the number of these birds shipped in cages to Europe； where they are known as Virginia nightingales。 Commencing with a strong； rich whistle； like the high notes of a fife； 〃Cheo…cheo…cheo…cheo；〃 repeated over and over as if to make perfect the start of a song he is about to sing； suddenly he stops； and you learn that there is to be no glorious performance after all； only a prelude to nothing。 The song； such as it is； begins； with both male and female； in March； and lasts； with a brief intermission； until September 〃the most melodious sigh；〃 as Mr。 Allen calls it。 Early in May the cardinals build a bulky and loosely made nest； usually in the holly； laurel； or other evergreen shrubs that they always love to frequent； especially if these are near fields of corn or other grain。 And often two broods in a year come forth from the pale…gray； brown…marked eggs； beating what is literally for them the 〃fatal gift of beauty。〃
SUMMER TANAGER （Piranga rubra） Tanager family
Called also： REDBIRD； SMOOTH…HEADED REDBIRD
Length 7。5 inches。 About one…fourth smaller than the robin。 Male Uniform red。 Wings and tail like the body。 Female Upper parts yellowish olive…green； underneath inclining to orange…yellow。 Range Tropical portions of two Americas and eastern United States。 Most common in Southern States。 Rare north of Pennsylvania。 Winters in the tropics。 Mirations In Southern States： April。 October。 Irregular migrant north of the Carolinas。
Thirty years ago； it is recorded that so far north as New Jersey the summer redbird was quite as common as any of the thrushes。 In the South still there is scarcely an orchard that does not contain this tropical…looking beauty the redbird par excellence； the sweetest singer of the family。 Is there a more beautiful sight in all nature than a grove of orange trees laden with fruit； starred with their delicious blossoms； and with flocks of redbirds disporting themselves among the dark； glossy leaves？ Pine and oak woods are also favorite resorts； especially at the north； where the bird nowadays forsakes the orchards to hide his beauty； if he can； unharmed by the rifle that only rarely is offered so shining a mark。 He shows the scarlet tanager's preference for tree…tops； where his musical voice； calling 〃Chicky…tucky…tuk；〃 alone betrays his presence in the woods。 The Southern farmers declare that he is an infallible weather prophet； his 〃wet； WET； WET；〃 being the certain indication of rain another absurd saw； for the call…note is by no means confined to the rainy season。
The yellowish…olive mate； whose quiet colors betray no nest secrets； collects twigs and grasses for the cradle to be saddled on the end of some horizontal branch； though in this work the male sometimes cautiously takes an insignificant part。 After her three or four eggs are laid she sits upon them for nearly two weeks； being only rarely and stealthily visited by her mate with some choice grub； blossom； or berry in his beak。 But how cheerfully his fife…like whistle rings out during the temporary exile！ Then his song is at its best。 Later in the summer he has an aggravating way of joining in the chorus of other birds' songs； by which the pleasant individuality of his own voice is lost。
A nest of these tanagers； observed not far from New York City； was commenced the last week of May on the extreme edge of a hickory limb in an open wood； four eggs were laid on the fourth of June； and twelve days later the tiny fledglings； that all look like their mother in the early stages of their existence； burst from the greenish…white； speckled shells。 In less than a month the young birds were able to fly quite well and collect their food。
SCARLET TANAGER （Piranga erythromelas） Tanager family
Called also： BLACK…WINGED REDBIRD； FIREBIRD； CANADA TANAGER； POCKET…BIRD
Length 7 to 7。5 inches。 About one…fourth smaller than the robin。 Male In spring plumage： Brilliant scarlet； with black wings And tail。 Under wing coverts grayish white。 In autumn： Similar To female。 Female Olive…green above； wings and tail dark； lightly Margined with olive。 Underneath greenish yellow。 Range North America to northern Canada boundaries； and southwardin winter to South America。 Migrations May。 October。 Summer resident
The gorgeous coloring of the scarlet tanager has been its snare and destruction。 The densest evergreens could not altogether hide this blazing target for the sportsman's gun； too often fired at the instigation of city m