358 NOTES ON THE 



AMPELIS CEDRORUM (Vieillot). (619.) 

 CEDAR WAX WING. 



Without a note of song, uttering only an oftrepeated twce^ 

 twle, and with a palate for cherries in particular that reaches 

 into the pocket of the fruit- culturist, this beautiful bird has 

 friends but few. I had long been under the influence of the 

 popular prejudice towards this bird, when one day a country 

 woman brought a young, but nearly f ullgrown specimen to me, 

 and I bought it. The soft delicate drab mantle and reddish- 

 olive head with its expressive crest were irresistible, and I took 

 it with a mental resolve to give it full liberty when the time 

 came for the autumnal migration. On releasing it in the dining- 

 room it flew to a bracket in the sitting-room directly over a 

 mantel on which a clock stood. From that time that ever re 

 mained his perch. His confidence in the entire membership of 

 the family was manifest from the first, and he spent his time in 

 clearing the house of flies and spiders, except what was devoted 

 to bathing and pruning his plumage, or taking a bit of accept 

 ble food off from my own plate, or preferably from my lips 

 while perching upon my left shoulder. A small quantity satis 

 fled him, when he would return to his bracket and dress his bill 

 until the last particle of adhering food was removed, when he 

 would invariably relight on my shoulder, from which he would 

 hop onto the rim of my glass of water, and after taking what 

 he desired, returned to his perch, where he remained quietly 

 until our meal was finished. Afterwards his search for spiders 

 and flies was resumed, in the pursuit for which he availed him- 

 self of any open door leading to cellar or garret, or out and 

 under the piazza. All the care required was to lay a piece of 

 paper on the mantel under his perch, and leave some water in 

 a dish to supply him with drink when the family were absent. 

 Several distinguished ornithologists dined with me at different 

 times, and were greatly pleased as well as surprised at his per- 

 formances. He never showed the slightest desire to migrate 

 in autumn. Unfortunately, one Sabbath the supply of water 

 was forgotten, and a tall pitcher half filled was left standing 

 upon the table, to which doubtless, he resorted, and slipped in 

 without the power to get out, and was there drowned most in - 

 gloriously. Notwithstanding his penchant for berries and 

 cherries, he abundantly proved to me that his species is worth 

 more to the pomologist than almost any other in the destruc- 

 tion of worms, larvsD and insects of nearly all kinds. 



