WAXWING. 157 



wliicli form so marked a feature in the adult bird, but 

 this theory was completely upset by the appearance of 

 the nestling above-mentioned, in reference to which Mr. 

 WoUey remarks : — ^^ A young bird, caught on the 5th 

 of August, as it fluttered from the nest, had a general 

 resemblance to the adult, though all the colours were 

 more dull. The wax-like ends to the wing feathers, 

 the yellow tip to the tail, the black patch between the 

 eye and the beak, are all there, whilst the rich maho- 

 gany of the under tail coverts is of a quieter brown ; 

 the blooming vinous colour of the head and back has 

 not yet emerged from a homely neutral, and the crest is 

 but just indicated by the longish feathers of the crown. 

 The most marked difference between the adult and 

 young is in the throat and under surface generally. 

 There is at present scarcely a trace of the deep black 

 patch of the chin, and the delicate tint of the general 

 under surface of the adult is replaced by mottled, neutral, 

 and white. This, upon examination, is found to owe 

 its appearance to those longer webs which, arriving 

 towards the root of each feather, extend as far outwards 

 as the webs which arise nearer its tip, being very pale or 

 white, and thus reheving, on both sides, the last-men- 

 tioned darker webs." In the 3rd volume of the "^ Ibis" 

 (1861, p. 92) will be found a more detailed account 

 of this most interesting discovery, chiefly compiled from 

 Mr. Wolley's notes and letters, by his old friend and 

 feUow-traveller, Mr. Alfred Newton, to whom, at his 

 death in November, 1859, Mr. WoUey bequeathed his 

 magnificent oological collection, comprising, amongst 

 other rarities, a series of some hundreds of waxwings' 

 eggs. From these statements it appears that nests were 

 discovered at Sardio, on the Kittila river, early in June, 

 1856, by some intelligent lads, employed by Mr. Wolley 

 to collect for him, and the description of his delight, in 

 realizing at last his great ambition, and actually beholding 



