130 THE WAXWING. 



late Mr. Simpson, Lauder, an example of this species which 

 had been obtained near Lauder-Barns about 1860. Mr. 

 Hardy, Oldcambus, writing in 1872, says that several years 

 previous to that date his brother saw two Waxwings near 

 the post-road between Grantshouse and Penmanshiel; and 

 he also mentions, on the authority of Mr. Wilson of Cold- 

 ingham, that one was seen at Hallydown on the 11th of 

 May 1872, and another killed at Coldingham shortly after- 

 wards.^ Mr. John Ferguson, Duns, records that one was 

 shot on Duns Castle estate in the winter of 1873.- 



Great numbers of Waxwings appeared in various parts 

 of the country in the winters of 1830-31, 1834-35, 1849- 

 50, and 1866-67. 



The food is principally berries and insects, and the bird 

 is very voracious. 



Nothing was known of its nidification until 1856, 

 when it was discovered by Mr. John WoUey breeding in 

 Lapland. It nests in the pine regions near the Arctic 

 Circle. 



The Waxwing, which is about the size of a Starling, 

 derives its name from the shafts of the secondary feathers of 

 the wing being tipped at the lower end with a substance 

 which resembles scarlet sealing-wax. 



1 Hist. Ber. Nat. Chib, vol. vi. p. 427. ^ Ibid. vol. vii. p. 234. 



^tfinA-^. ,.._-. . ,_^ 



