28 BIRDS OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE. 



Family — A vipelidce. 



Genus — Anipelis. A. garnilus. 



A stout, plump bird, thickly clad in long soft feathers 

 that efFectuall}^ protect it from the cold ; those on the head 

 are especially long, and can be raised into a conspicuous 

 crest at their ONvner's pleasure. The upper surface is 

 reddish ash colour, changing to grey at the upper tail 

 coverts. The middle wing coverts are dark grey, almost 

 black, and about six of them are tipped with white, as are 

 the last four or live of the secondaries, which have affixed 

 to their tips little excrescences of a red colour that have the 

 appearance of wax. The other secondaries and the 

 primaries are edged on their outer aspect with yellow, and 

 on the inner with bluish grey. The tail is the same colour 

 as the wings, and has all the feathers composing it bordered 

 at the free extremities with yellow. The chin and upper 

 part of the throat, as well as a spot surrounding the eye, 

 are black. The remaining under parts are grey, with 

 a ruddy tinge especially on the breast. The bill is brown, 

 and the legs and feet dark slate. 



This bird feeds on berries and seeds and also on insects, 

 but as few of these are about when it comes to Great 

 Britain, it is probable that while here its diet is mainly 

 frugivorous. 



Though often called the Bohemian Chatterer, it is seldom 

 met with in the south, and is rather a silent bird than 

 otherwise. It is to a certain extent gregarious, that is to 

 say, it is usually met with in small parties of eight or ten, 

 consisting of individuals of both sexes, the females being 

 known by the smaller extent of the black spot under the 

 chin, as well as by being somewhat less. The length of the 

 male is 84^ inches. 



The waxwing is easily tamed, but, like most of the birds 



