About three weeks after this, a male, also in summer dress, occurred to my own observation, hopping about the small fruit-trees, on the banks of Bluefields River. He was very fearless, allowing me to sit and watch him within half-pistol-shot; now and then he flew down to the ground, by the side of the water, and remained a few moments peeping about; then he would fly up into a shrub, and presently be down again to drink; for the season was parched with drought. I watched him full half an hour, before he flew away. Both these instances show that the Scarlet Tanager, occasionally at least, takes our lovely island, in his spring migration from Central America to the north. He certainly does not winter with us, having been until this season unknown to Mr. Hill, who for many years has paid close attention to the migrant birds. Yet D’Orbigny states, that it winters in Cuba; perhaps, however, but casually. RED-THROATED BLUE TANAGER.[65] _Orange-quit._ _Feather-tongue or Sour-sop bird._—(+Rob.+ MSS.) _Tanagrella ruficollis._ _Fringilla Martinicensis_, +Gmel.+ _Tanagra ruficollis_, ibid. _Fringilla noctis, var. β._ +Lath.+—Ind. Or. ? _American Hedge-sparrow, fem._ +Edw.+ 122. ? _Le pere noir_, +Buff.+ Pl. enl. 201. fig. 1. [65] Length 5¹⁄₂ inches, expanse 9, flexure 2⁸⁄₁₀, tail 2, rictus ¹¹⁄₂₀, tarsus ³⁄₄, middle toe ⁶⁄₁₀. Weight 3¹⁄₂ drachms, (apoth.) Male. Irides bright hazel; beak and feet black. General plumage rather dull blue; throat deep rufous, cheeks black. Wing-quills and tail-feathers blackish with blue edges. Female. Head and neck greenish grey: back olive brown: tertiaries and their coverts, and tail dark umber; the former with pale edges. Under parts ashy, approaching to white on the medial line of the belly. The tongue of this species, pencilled and barbed at the tip, might give it a place among the Honey-suckers. It does not climb, however, nor cling by its feet, but perches. It is not a very common bird in the lowlands; but in the mountains I have found it rather plentiful. It frequents berry-bearing trees of various species, in small parties, with no very strong sociality; its only note is a single chirp, sharp and shrill. Towards the end of the year, when the dark and glossy foliage of the orange groves is relieved by the profuse golden fruit, reminding the beholder, of the fabled gardens of the Hesperides, this Tanager becomes numerous, hopping about the twigs, and pecking holes in the ripe fruit. Many are then readily caught by smearing the twigs in the vicinity of a half-eaten orange, with bird lime, or “gum,” as it is called, the inspissated milk that exudes from an unripe naseberry. Females seem to predominate in these foraging parties, in the proportion of two or three to one; unless the young males have the same livery as their mothers.