WESTERN BIRDS Waxwing 



visitors, only, staying as late as June when they go north 

 of the state to raise their young, Oregon being their 

 southern breeding point. 



They are fond of the tall eucalyptus trees and often 

 their presence among the blossoms is detected by their 

 incessant note when it is impossible to see them. But 

 the food that the birds seem fondest of in the south is 

 the berry of the pepper trees. All winter long they will 

 stay about in big flocks where these trees grow, often 

 swinging out on a frail branch with head down in an 

 effort to secure the red berry. While not particularly 

 shy, if you chance to walk rapidly under a tree where 

 they are feeding, they are apt to fly quickly out in a 

 compact flock and whiz away, sighing as they go, often- 

 times circling in the air and coming back to the same 

 tree to complete their repast. 



One interesting thing about the pepper-berry diet is 

 that the hard inside of the pellet is not digestible and 

 the birds have a way of disgorging it once the softer 

 outside has been absorbed. Sometimes these pellets de- 

 scend like raindrops from my eucalyptus trees whither 

 the birds have gone to rest after their feeding. And, too, 

 small pepper trees have sprung up beneath it, living 

 monuments to the Cedar Birds. Sometimes the walks 

 under eucalyptus trees are red with pepper berries and 

 the uninformed might well wonder how they came there 

 when none of the trees are in sight. 



These birds have a reputation of being very gallant 

 and solicitous for each other's welfare, such as a row of 

 young passing a cherry, or worm, along from bill to 

 bill and back along the line — none of them eating it. 



One spring I witnessed a pretty sight in a tall syca- 

 more tree where the birds were alternately flying out, 

 flycatcher fashion, after insects, and nibbling from the 

 seed-balls on the tree. One bird pulled off a ball which 

 was probably three-quarters of an inch in diameter, and 



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