76 BULLETIN 19 7, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



"Always associated with the waxwings were flocks of the western 

 robin {Turdus migrato7ius froyinquus) ; of this species the individ- 

 uals numbered several thousands ; and at times when suddenly startled, 

 this immense body of birds would arise, scattering in every direction, 

 and then begin to congregate in flocks. On some occasions, they would 

 all amalgamate into one vast flock and, after flying about, would again 

 break up into small flocks; these would alight in the berry-laden trees 

 and immediately resume feeding, until again disturbed, when these 

 evolutions would be repeated. At all times the soft, rolling chatter of 

 the many waxwings could be heard, which added to the interesting 

 spectacle. On one particular occasion apparently all the individuals 

 in a large portion of the section became associated, forming a flock that 

 bj'^ careful estimate was an eighth of a mile in length and of consider- 

 able width. 



"Many times, in these flocks of Bohemian waxwings, we observed a 

 few cedar waxwings and, in the same locality, small flocks of pine 

 siskins and willow goldfinches, which would sometimes mingle with 

 the former in flight, but disassociate when the waxwings alighted. 



"About January 25, the supply of madrona berries in this section 

 became practicall}^ exhausted, and thereafter the waxwings were seen 

 in smaller flocks and became scattered throughout the city in quest of 

 suitable food. On many occasions the birds were seen in the parks of 

 the city and about the residences where there was shrubbery that might 

 bear berries ; this continued until about February 15, after which date 

 we have failed to note them." 



Several observers have connnented on the abundance of Bohemian 

 waxwings in Colorado during that winter, where the species may be 

 a fairly regular winter visitor in the mountains, but is rarely seen in 

 large numbers in the foothills, towns, and cities. Frederick C. Lin- 

 coln (1939) writes: 



The most impressive invasion of this bird to be recorded in the history of 

 Colorado ornithology occurred in February 1917, at which time I estimated that at 

 least 10,000 were present within the corporate limits of the city of Denver. Large 

 flocks were to be found in all of the city's parlss, where they frequented fruit- 

 bearing shrubbery i)articularly the Russian olive. Many citizens tried to feed the 

 visitors and after vainly offering bread crumbs and seeds of various kinds, finally 

 discovered tliat canned peas were very acceptable. The last previous occurrence 

 of the species in large numbers in that section was in 1908. 



The most widespread and perhaps the greatest invasion of all came 

 in the winter of 1919-20. Mr. Kathbun refers to this in his notes from 

 Seattle; the first waxwings were seen there on November 25, and they 

 increased in numbers from then on, reaching their maximum in Decem- 

 ber and January and decreasing in February; the last one was noted 

 on March 1. 



Gabrielson and Jewett (1940) write : "The Bohemian waxwing is an 



