BLACK-THROATED WAXWING. 535 



the anterior part is white, the posterior brownish-orange. The 

 quills and larger coverts are dark grey, towards the end grey- 

 ish-black, the primary coverts largely tipped with white ; the 

 primary quills with an elongated yellow spot at the end of 

 their outer web ; the secondary quills with a sinoiilar spot of 

 white. The tail is grey at the base, black toward the end, 

 with a terminal bar of pure yellow. 



Length to end of tail 9 inches ; to end of wings 8| ; extent 

 of wings 16 ; wing from flexure 4^^^ ; tail 8 ; bill along the 

 ridge j^, along the edge of lower mandible || ; tarsus j%; 

 first toe ^%, its claw ^^1 ; second toe ^ |, its claw /I ' third 

 toe /|, its claw j'~ ; fourth toe /g, its claw /|. 



Female. — The female is somewhat less, but otherwise similar 

 to the male. The vermilion tips of the secondary quills are 

 more slender, and less numerous. 



Length to end of tail 8^ inches ; bill along the ridge ^% ; 

 wing from flexure 4-^% ; tail 2i§ ; tarsus j^^ ; hind toe and 

 claw j^ ; middle toe and claw ^1- 



Variations. — The principal variations have reference to the 

 wax-like appendages to the secondary quills, of which the 

 greatest number is seven. 



Habits. — This bird, wdiich I have not had the good fortune 

 to see alive and at liberty, visits us accidentally, or at irregular 

 periods, making its appearance generally in large flocks, and 

 in winter, when it betakes itself to the hedges and rowan trees, 

 to feed on their berries. It has been met with so frequently 

 in Scotland as to render it unnecessary for me to present a list 

 of places and times at which it has been seen, and yet at such 

 irregular and often distant periods that it must be considered as 

 a very rare bird even there. In England, if we except the nor- 

 thern counties, it is of still less frequent occurrence, although 

 specimens have been obtained as far south as Devonshire and 

 Cornwall. It is said to extend over the continent in winter, and 

 to return in the end of spring to the arctic regions ; but its breed- 

 ing places are unknown. Its geographical range is vast, for it 

 equally inhabits the north of Asia^ is mentioned by M. Tem- 



