The Waxwing 



irregular winter visitor. It migrates yearly to South-east 

 France, Italy, and Turkey, and only under stress of weather 

 do its migrations extend westwards, so as to include our 

 islands. Its food consists chiefly of berries, though insects 

 also form no insignificant part of its diet. When in these 

 islands it will usually be found in plantations. It is a 

 short thick-set bird, having a steady and rapid flight when 

 on the wing. The general colour is greyish brown, and it 

 has a flat and backwardly-directed crest that can be erected 

 at will. The accompanying plate gives so good an idea of 

 this bird, which has no affinities with any other species, 

 that further description is unnecessary. The sexes are 

 alike, but in the males the vermilion wax tips of the quill 

 and tail feathers, to which it owes its popular name, are 

 larger and more numerous. 



In fully adult birds the yellow line of the outer vein 

 of the primaries is continued on the inner vein, forming an 

 arrow-shaped marking. Length 7 '5 in. ; wing 4*5 in. 



THE SPOTTED FLYCATCHER 



Muscicapa grisola, Linnaeus 



Dull in colour and lacking in vocal ability, this bird 

 makes up for these deficiencies by his tameness and fascinat- 

 ing ways. It does not reach this country till early in May, 

 while in backward seasons it is the end of that month 

 before the main bulk of them have arrived at their summer 

 quarters. It is common throughout these islands, nesting 



105 -4 



