424 Birds of Colorado 



almost invariably along the vertical banks of streams, 

 and are by no means so uniform or carefully constructed 

 as those of the Bank-SwaUow ; in fact Kingfishers' and 

 other holes are often made use of, and cavities and crevices 

 in the masonry abutments of bridges. The nest cavity 

 is loosely lined with grass and feathers. The eggs, 

 usually four or five, are pure white, and measure about 

 •70 X -50. 



Family BOMBYCILLID^. 



Bill rather short, broad and flat, shghtly hooked 

 and notched at the tip ; head conspicuously crested ; 

 nasal fossae and nostrils almost concealed by the mass 

 of forwardly -growing, dense, soft loral feathers ; rictal 

 bristles obsolete ; ^ving of ten primaries, the outer (tenth) 

 very minute, less than haK the length of the primary 

 coverts ; wing long and pointed, the eighth and ninth 

 the longest of the primaries ; tail much shorter than the 

 wing and sHghtly rounded ; plumage soft and silkj% 

 with curious red, horny appendages attached to the inner 

 secondaries, and occasionally to other long feathers as 

 well ; sexes alike ; young streaky. 



Following Ridgway, this family includes only the 

 Waxwings of the genus Bomhy cilia, formerly known 

 as Ampelis, which appear to be sufficiently distinct from 

 the other genera containing the Silky Flycatchers, 

 Phainopeplas, and Palm-Chats usually associated 

 with them. 



Genus BOMBYCILLA. 



The characters of the genus are given witli those of the family. 

 Its range inchides the temperate and subarctic portions of both the 

 Old and New Worlds. 



A. Larger — wing over 4 ; under tail-coverts chestnut ; wing-feathers 



yellow or white tipped. B. garrula, p. 425. 



B. Smaller — wing under 4 ; under tail-coverts white ; wing-feathers 



without white or yellow tips. B. cedrorum, p. 426. 



