112 BIRDS THROUGH AN OPERA-GLASS. 
XXXI. 
CEDAR-BIRD; WAXWING. 
Tue cedar-birds go into pigeon-hole No. 7, the 
place for “the waxwings,” etc., and when you 
have examined them you will feel that they de- 
serve a cubby-hole of their own. In spring and 
fall they are found in flocks, often of five or seven, 
but you will be likely to overlook them if you are 
not consciously watching the birds. They are 
rather shy, and are slender birds, a little smaller 
than a robin, with inconspicuous coloring, and, 
moreover, have no song to attract your attention, 
—nothing but a lisping note and a faint whis- 
tle that sounds as if they were drawing in their 
breath. But they are about, and in June will 
probably nest in the nearest orchard, and eat 
eanker-worms from the village trees. 
When you find them you will be repaid for your 
trouble. By the law of compensation, discussed 
by Darwin under the head of Natural Selection, 
their beauty makes up for their lack of voice, 
while, in the case of the sparrows, plainness is 
compensated by musical power. 
The waxwing’s plumage is a soft fawn tone, lit 
up by touches of color. Its crest is fawn, but it 
has a black chin and a black stripe through the 
eye, a yellow band across the end of its tail, and, 
— most unique external feature of all, which ex- 
——— CUCU 
