On the Waxwing Nesting in a British Aviary. 357



WAXWING NESTING IN A BRITISH AVIARY.


(A mpel is ga mil us).


In many of our readers, I fear the above simple statement

will fail to arouse either surprise or interest. To some, the

difference between a Waxwing and a Waxbill is not very

apparent; to others, the Waxwing is a common bird easily

obtainable for a small sum, and not always a thing of delight

when obtained. But to a goodly few the announcement that

Waxwiugs are nesting in our Honorary Treasurer’s aviary, have

laid eggs and are now sitting, will be received with warm

intelligence if not with enthusiasm.


Those of the present generation who know things as they

are, but not as they were, will find it difficult to fully understand

the feelings of naturalists half a century ago on the subject of

this well known species. Perhaps I cannot present the case to

our readers in a better way than by simply quoting from an old

book entitled “ Maunder’s Treasury of Natural History.” Under

the heading of “ The Bohemian Waxwing ” we find the follow¬

ing:—


“ ‘ Whence,’ exclaims C. Bonaparte, ‘ does the Bohemian

Waxwing come at the long and irregular periods of its migra¬

tions? Whither does it retire to pass its existence and give birth

to its progen}’? These are circumstances involved in darkness,

and which it has not been given to any naturalist to ascertain.

It has been stated, and with much appearance of probability,

that these birds retire during summer within the arctic circle :

but the fact is otherwise, naturalists who have explored these

regions asserting that they are rarer and more accidental there

than in temperate climates. It seems probable that their chief

place of abode is in the oriental parts of the old continent, and,

if we may hazard an opinion, we should not be surprised if the

extensive and elevated table land of Central Asia was found to

be their principal rendezvous, whence, like the Tartars in former

times, they make their irregular excursions.’


“ It seems that in Northern Russia, and the extreme north

of Norway, they are seen in great numbers every winter ; and.



