214 BOHEMIAN WAXWING. 



portion of their food, and which were mostly 

 taken on the wing. Their breeding places are 

 yet unknown. They are supposed to be in hor 

 them or central Asia, and by Dr Richardson, 

 in the mountainous limestone districts between 

 the sixty-eighth and sixty-ninth parallels. These, 

 in the words of Bonaparte, " are circumstances 

 involved in darkness, and which it has not been 

 given to any naturalist to ascertain."* On various 

 parts of the Continent, particularly Italy, we learn 

 from the same ornithologist, that their appearance 

 was looked upon with superstitious awe, and as 

 " the precursors of war, pestilence, and other 

 public calamities." We are not aware, that the 

 large flocks which sometimes visit Europe, accor- 

 ding to Gesner, " in such numbers as to obscure 

 the sun," are used for food ; but in America, the 

 small species, (jB. Americana,) on the authority 

 of Wilson and Audubon, is esteemed by epicures, 

 and when fattened during the profuse season of 

 the berries, is brought to the markets, and sold 

 from twelve to twenty cents per dozen.j* 



The plumage of this bird is loose and soft ; 

 the feathers on the crown are elongated, and form 

 a beautiful crest, erectile at the will of the bird ; 

 it is purplish red, and shades into dull chestnut 

 red immediately above the bill ; round the eyes, 

 a narrow stripe, stretching above the nostrils, 

 black, continued behind the eyes, and marking 

 the separation of the crest from the nape ; the 

 throat, and fore part of the neck, are of the same 

 dark colour ; the neck, back, and under parts of the 

 * Continuation of Wilson Wilson's Ornithology. 



