Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 19.djvu/35

* TAMSUI. 19 exports are tea, rice, sugar, camphor, coal, flax, hemp, jute, etc., cliiefly to China, Hong Kong, British India, and the United States, and the im- ports are salt, llour, kerosene oil, cotton and woolen goods, lead, and otlier metals, tobacco, joss-sticks, etc. The population is estimated at over (iOOU. TAM-TAM (Hind., drum, onomatopoetic in originj. An Indian or Chinese nuisical instru- ment. It consists of a metal disk concave in the middle and is suspended by a loop. The tone is produced by striking the disk with a stick having a soft knob made of felt or leather. TAM'WORTH. A municipal borough and market town, on the borders of Staffordshire and 'arwiekshire, England, at the confluence of the Tame and Anker, 13 miles northeast of Bir- mingham ( Map : England E 4 ). Its chief build- ings are the castle built on the site of a Saxon fort and the Church of Saint Editha, founded in the eighth century. It acquired in 1897 the his- toric castle which had descended through the female line of the ilarmions to the Marquis of Townshend. • Market gardening, brickmaking, brewing, dyeing, wool-stapling, and manufac- tures of tapes and small wares are carried on. From the beginning of the eighth century Tam- worth was the chief Mercian royal residence. Burned by the Danes in 911, it was rebuilt by Ethelfleda, daughter of Alfred the Great. Popu- lation, in 1901. 7271. Consult Palmer, History of Tamuorth (London, 1871-75). TANA, tii'na. A river in British East Africa (Map: Africa, H 5). It rises in numerous head- streams in the southwestern slope of Jlount Kenia, and flows southeast after making a long detour to the north, emptying into the Indian Ocean in latitude 2° 47' S. Its length is over 500 miles. Its upper course down to Hameye is that of a mountain stream, full of falls and cataracts, Below that point it runs 360 miles through alluvial plains and is navigable for light-draught vessels in the rainy season. Its importance as a waterway into the interior of Africa is considerably diminished by the bar which obstructs its entrance. TANAGEB (from Neo-Lat. Tanogra, from Brazilian iangara, the native name of the bird). The popular name for the Tanagrida-, a family of birds having a conical beak, triangular at the base, the upper mandible notched toward the tip, and its ridge arched. The family is closely related to the finches and about 350 species are known, all American and nearly all tropical. Only five species occur as far north as the United States and only two of these reach Canada. They are all birds of moderate or small size, six to eight inches long or less, but of surpassingly gaudy plumage, though the brilliancy is frequently confined to the male sex. They are arboreal birds, feeding on fruit and insects, and have little power of song, but a few species arc musicians of some merit. The best known of the three North American forms is the scarlet tanager (Piranga erythromrlnx), the most brilliant bird of the Northern United States. The male is bright scarlet with black wings and tail ; the female light olive-green above and greenish yellow be- neath. The immature males are like the females, but have the black wings and tail, and the adult male assumes this plumage in winter. The TANAUAN. scarlet tanager breeds as far north as New Brunswick and as far west as Kansas, but win- ters in Central and South America. It builds its nest near the end of a horizon- tal limb; the nest is a rather loose, shallow structure of twigs, weeds, and rootlets. The eggs are pale bluish with numerous reddish- brown spots. The scarlet tanager is not a notable musician, but its song is pleasing. From New Jersey southward there is found from April to September the summer tanager {Piranga rubra), which is rose-red, brighter below, the wings fuscous margined with rose. The female is orange olive-green above, buflTy yellowish green below. In habits, nesting, and song it re- sembles the scarlet tanager. From the eastern foothills of the Pvockies to the Pacific there is found in summer a beautiful bird, the Louisiana or crimson-headed tanager {Piranga Ludovici- ana). The male is bright yellow, with the whole head crimson or scarlet, and the back, wings, and tail black. The female is exactly like the female scarlet tanager, except for the white or yellowish markings on the wings. In nesting and other habits this exquisite bird resembles the others. Consult Ridgway, Birds of North and Middle America, part ii. (Washington, 1902). See Colored Plate with Thrush. TAN'AGRA (Lat., from Gk. Tdmypa, mod- ern Grimadha). An ancient city in eastern Boeotia close to the Athenian border. It did not pla3' any part in ancient history, but near it was fought an important battle between the Athenians and Spartans in B.C. 457. Through the treacherous desertion of the Thessalian cav- alry the Athenians were defeated, but later in the same year at CEnophyta in the same district they won a great victory w-hich made them masters of Boeotia. During the Hellenistic and Roman periods Tanagra was a flourishing agricultural community, said to produce the best wine in Bceotia. It is now deserted, though the line of ancient walls is marked by mounds of rubbish, and there are remains of the theatre and other ancient buildings. The chief fame of the town is due to its extensive necropolis, first opened in 1874, and since then the scene of count- less open and clandestine excavations. The tombs or graves have yielded the long series of graceful and charming terra-cotta statuettes, known as Tanagra figurines. In many cases these were broken before being cast into the grave, and their significance has caused much discussion, in which an occult symbolism has not been proved. The high value attached to these little figures has led to much modern forgery and it is often hard even for an expert to detect the imitations. TATTAIS. The ancient name of the Don. TAN ANA, ta-nit'na (South American name). One of the singing grasshoppers of the genus Locusta, common in Brazil, whose music is much admired by the natives, who keep it in little cages much as the Japanese keep crickets. TANANARIVO, t.i-na'na-re'vS. The capital of JIada.cascar. See Ant. anarivo. TAN'AQUIL. The wife of Tarquinius Priscus. TANATTAN, ta-nii'wftn. A town of Leyte, Philippines, situated 10 miles from Taclobfin CMap: Philippines, J 8). Population. 18.500.