WAXEN CHATTERER. 247 



Rocky Mountains, in the month of March, is of common 

 occurrence, as a passenger throughout the colder regions 

 of the whole northern hemisphere. Like our Cedar 

 Birds, they associate in numerous flocks, pairing only 

 for the breeding season ; after which the young and old 

 give way to their gregarious habits, and collecting in nu- 

 merous companies, they perform extensive journeys, and 

 are extremely remarkable for their great and irregular 

 wanderings. The circumstances of incubation in this 

 species are wholly unknown. It is supposed that they re- 

 tire to the remote northern regions to breed, yet in Nor- 

 way, they are only birds of passage, and it has been con- 

 jectured that they pass the summer in the elevated table 

 land of central Asia. Wherever they dwell at this season, 

 it is certain that in spring, and late autumn, they visit 

 northern Asia or Siberia, and eastern Europe in vast 

 numbers, but are elsewhere only uncertain stragglers, 

 whose appearance, at different times, has been looked 

 upon as ominous of some disaster by the credulous and 

 ignorant. 



The Waxen Chatterers, like our common Cedar Birds, 

 appear destitute of song, and only lisp to each other their 

 usual low reiterated call of ze ze re, which becomes more 

 audible when they are disturbed, and as they take to 

 wing. They are also very sociable and affectionate to 

 their whole fraternity, and sit in rows often on the same 

 branch, when not employed in collecting their food, 

 which is said to consist of juicy fruits of various kinds, 

 particularly grapes ; they will also eat juniper and laurel 

 berries, as well as apples, currants, and figs, and are often 

 seen to drink. 



Length 8^ inches ; alar extent about 15. Anterior part of the head 

 bay, passing posteriorly into reddish drat, which is the prevailing 

 color above as well as on the breast. Lower part of the back and rump 



