THE noilE.MlAX WAXWIXG. 349 



NOTHIXG crm exceed ilie refined elegance of these ''gentlenKii in feath- 

 ers" wlio visit us yearly in winter, rarely on Puget Sound, but abundantly in 

 the northeastern portion (if the State. Demure, gentle, courteous to a fault, 

 and guileless to the danger point, and bevond, these lovely creatures exceed in 

 beauty, if possible, their more familiar cousin, the Cedarbird. They move 

 about in flocks, sometimes to the number of hundreds, and as the rigors of 

 winter come on they search the orchard and berry-patch for ungarnered fruit. 

 or divide with hungry Robins the largess of rowan trees. Much time is 

 spent in amiable converse, but it is not at all fair to call them "chatterers," 

 or garntlus, as tho they were monkeys. Dignity is of the very essence of 

 their being, and, as fond as they are of good li\ing. they would starve rather 

 than do anything rude or unseemly. 



An observer in Utah^ relates how an ill-mannered Robin, jealous of the 

 good beha\Mor of a company of these visitors, in an apple tree, set about to 

 abuse them. "He would bluster and scream out his denunciations till he 

 seemed unable longer to restrain himself, when, to all appearances, absolutel}' 

 beside himself with rage because the objects of his wrath paid no attention to 

 his railings, he did the catapult act — -hurling himself straight at the intruders. 

 Several of the Waxwings. in order to avoid an actual collision, left the places 

 where they were feeding, and alighting on twigs near by paused for a moment, 

 as if to observe the antics of the furious Robin, when they would resume their 

 feeding. Their indifference to the loud bullying protests of the Robin, and 

 their persistence in remaining on the premises after he had ordered them ofT 

 so exasperated Mr. Redbreast that with screams of defiance he dashed from 

 group to group without stojjping to alight, until, exhausted quite as much by 

 the heat of anger as by the unusual exertions he was making, he was glad to 

 drop to a branch and pant for breath" — while the \\'axwings continued to 

 ignore the churl, as gentlemen should. 



Concerning the nesting range of this bird there has been much surmise. 

 For many years the single eggs taken by Kennicott at Fort Yukon on July 4. 

 1861. remained unique; but latterly we are learning that it also nests much 

 further south. Mr. Brooks took four sets, one from a Murray ])ine and three 

 from Douglas firs, at 158-Mile House, B. C, in J""c, 1901''. Dr. C. S. 

 Moody"^ reports the taking of a set of five eggs at Sandpoint, Idaho. July 5, 

 1904. On June 26, 1904. Robert G. Bee, of Provo City, found a nest near 

 Sunnyside, Utah''. With such examples before us it is, practically certain 

 that the species will be found nesting in this State. Indeed, Mr. F. S. Mer- 

 rill, of Spokane, belie\es that he once found a nest of the Bohemian W'axwing 

 on the headwaters of the Little Spokane River near Milan. Tlie nest he de- 



Rev. S. H. r.oodwin in "The Condor," Vol. \ir,, No, 4. p. 

 The Auk. Vol. XX., July, 1903. p. 283. 

 "Pacific Sportsman." \'ol. 2. June. 1905. p. 270. 

 The Condor, Vol. VII.. .Inly, .\ugust. 1905, p. 100. 



