on the Waxwing Nesting in a British Aviary. 365


underlying spots of violet-grey, more or less distinctly

indicated. Axis, 075—1‘05 inch. ; diam., C65—075.”


Mr. St. Ouintin’s egg, which he has so kindly forwarded to

us for inspection, is doubtless the very first egg of the species

that has ever been laid in the United Kingdom, whether by

wild bird or captive, and the first egg of the species that has

ever been laid in captivity, either in this country or any other.

Mr. Gronvold, an expert on the colours of eggs, describes it as

follows:—“Of a regular egg-shape; ground colour, light bluish

green ; surface spots blackish-brown; underlying spots, lilac-

grey varying dark and light; a fair number of spots generally

distributed ; length, o'9S ; diameter, o - 69.”


As regards the feeding of the young, Wilson tells us of

the closely allied Cedar Bird:—“About the last week in June

the young are hatched, and are at first fed on insects and their

larvae ; but, as tlie3 7 advance in growth, on berries of various

kinds. These facts I have myself been an eye-witness to.”


Concerning the “wax” tips to some of the feathers,

Wilson (on the Cedar Bird) writes ;—“Six or seven, and some¬

times the whole nine, secondary feathers of the wings are

ornamented at the tips with small red oblong appendages,

resembling red sealing-wax ; these appear to be a prolongation

of the shafts, and to be intended for preserving the ends, and

consequent^ the vanes, of the quills from being broken and

worn away from the almost continual fluttering of the bird

among thick branches of the cedar. The feathers of those birds,

which are without these appendages, are uniformly found ragged

on the edges, but smooth and perfect in those on whom the

marks are full and numerous. They are common to male and

female. The young do not receive them until the second fall,

when, in moulting time, they may be seen fully formed, as the

feather is developed from its sheath. I have once or twice found

a solitary one on the extremity of one of the tail-feathers.”


As to the name, I protest against the senseless title of

“Bohemian” Waxwing being perpetuated b)^ modern writers.

The species is not in any way peculiar to Bohemia ; on the

contran 7 , it is rather a rare species in that country. Ampelis

garrulus is The Waxwing.



