104 BULLETIN 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



length of tarsus and middle toe together); outermost (tenth) primary 

 rudimentary (less than half as long as primary coverts) ; ninth primary 

 longest, or at least longer than seventh. Tail less than two-thirds as 

 long as wing, even or very slightly rounded, its coverts unusually 

 long, especiall}^ the lower, which reach nearly to end of tail. Tarsus 

 short (shorter than middle toe without claw, less than one-fifth as long 

 as wing), its scutella distinct; lateral toes much shorter than middle 

 toe, the outer rather longer than inner and united to middle toe by 

 about half its basal phalanx. Plumage soft and blended; head with a 

 conspicuous crest of broad, soft, blended feathers; j^oung with under 

 parts streaked. 



The AVaxwings are a small group of oscinine birds peculiar to the 

 Northern Hemisphere, and embrace only three known species belong- 

 ing" to a single genus; one of them peculiar to North America, another 

 to Japan and neighboring parts of eastern Asia, the third circumpolar 

 in its range. 



They have rather long wings, with ten primaries (though the tenth 

 is rudimentar}^), short, distinctly scutellate tarsi, short, rather broad, 

 and slightly hooked bill, rather short, slightly rounded tail, and the 

 head ornamented by a long, silky crest. They are beautiful birds of 

 most soft, delicately blended colors, two of the three species being 

 further ornamented by horny, drop-shaped tips to the secondaries, 

 resembling red sealing wax. 



The}^ are arboreal birds of weak voice, apparently songless, and feed 

 on berries, fruits, and insects. 



Genus AMPELIS Linnaeus. 



Ampelis Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 12, i, 1766, 297. (Type, by elimination, ^4. 



garrulus Linnseus. ) 

 Bombycivora Temminck, Hist. Nat. Pig. etGal, ii, 1813, 249, footnote; Man. d'Oni., 



i, 1815, 77. (Type, Ampelis garndusJAvinm\xs,.) 

 Bombiciphora 'Mey'eb., Vog. Liv-u. Esthl., 1815, 104. (Type, B. jwliocoeUa Meyer, 



= Ampelis garrulus Linnseus. ) 

 BomJryciphora (emendation) Meyer, Vog. Liv- mid Esthlands, 1815, 104; Ann. 



Wetteran. Gesellsch. fiirNaturk., iv, heft i, 1819, 90. 

 Bomhycilla YiEiLhOT, Analyse, 1816, 37. (Type, Ampelis gamtlas 'Linmens.) 



The structural characters of the genus Anipelis are the same as those 

 of the family Ampelidae, as given on page — . hi addition to the 

 characters there enumerated the following may be mentioned here: 

 Crown with a lengthened, pointed crest, of soft, l)lended feathers; 

 plumage very soft, the feathers of head, neck, and body perfectl}- 

 blended, the prevailing color a soft fawn-color of vinaceous grayish 

 brown, changing to ashy on rump and upper tail-coverts; prevailing 

 color of wings and tail slaty, the latter sharply tipped with yellow or 



