AMPELIN®, WAXWINGS.—GEN. 50. 115 
Birds of the three following genera agree in this character :— Bill short, broad, 
flattened, plainly notched at tip, with wide rictus, and culmen or gonys hardly if 
at all exceeding half the length of the commissure; basal phalanx of middle toe 
joined with outer toe for about two-thirds its length, and to inner toe for about half 
its length. The three genera, or subfamilies, that follow, may be readily and pre- 
cisely defined. 
Subfamily AMPELINA2. Wasxwings. 
Bill as just described ; nasal fossze broad, nasal opening exposed, but overarched 
by a broad scale more or less completely covered with close-set velvety antrorse 
feathers. Wings with ten primaries, but the first spurious, very short and displaced 
(on the outer side of the second) so as to be readily overlooked ; point of the wing 
formed by the third primary, closely supported by the second and fourth, the fifth 
being abruptly shorter. Inner quills, as a rule, and sometimes the tail feathers, 
tipped with horny appendages like red sealing-wax. ‘Tail short, square, } or 2 as 
long as the wings, the under coverts highly developed, reaching nearly to its end. 
Feet weak; the tarsus shorter than the middle toe and claw, its podotheca some- 
what receding from strict oscine character. 
Of this subfamily as here restricted there is only one genus with three species— 
one of Europe and America, one of Asia and Japan, and one confined to this 
country. They are songless, in this differing altogether from the Myiadestine and 
Ptilogonydine ; and I should not be surprised if their relationships proved to be 
entirely with a certain exotic clamatorial family. Although by a strange mis- 
nomer sometimes called ‘‘chatterers” they are among the most silent of all birds, 
their only voice being a weak wheezy kind of whistle. They feed chiefly on berries 
and other soft fruits, but also on insects, and are gregarious and migratory. The 
sexes are alike; the head is adorned with a beautiful crest; the wings have unique 
ornaments, the use of which is unknown; the tail is tipped with yellow (red in the 
Japanese species, phanicopterum) ; the plumage is extremely smooth, and of a 
nameless color. Young birds lack the curious horny appendages, and have the 
general plumage streaked. 
50. Genus AMPELIS Linnzus. 
Bohemian Waxwing. Under tail coverts chestnut; front and sides of 
the head tinged with a richer, more orange-brown shade; primary wing 
coverts tipped with white; each quill with 
a sharp white (or yellowish) stripe at the 
end of the outer web; chin velvety black, 7. 
in a large well defined area; narrow line See 
SS ae 
a ee 
across forehead, along sides of head 
through eyes, meeting its fellow on the 
occiput behind the crest, also velvety > 
black; no white on under eyelid nor eae Bonentanweniae: 
across forehead; no yellowish on belly ; Gap pendaees ion ihe amuen anita, 
bill and feet black. 7 or 8 inches long, wing about 44. Northern North 
America; U..S. casually in winter, but sometimes appearing in immense 
roving flocks; S. sometimes to 35°. Aup., iv, 269, ple. 246;e Norms, 
or esr lU lM ee eee Ey Ue olsl ge sve, Ie ats Weed "GARRULUBS 
