162 BIRDS AND BIRDS. 



the wing-quills. It is about one third smaller, and a 

 little lighter in color, owing perhaps to the fact that 

 it is- confined to a warmer latitude, its northward 

 range seeming to end about where that of its larger 

 brother begins. Its flight, its note, its manners, its 

 general character and habits are almost identical 

 with those of its prototype. It is confined exclu- 

 sively to this continent, while the chatterer is an Old 

 World bird as well, and ranges the northern parts of 

 both continents. The latter comes to us from the 

 hyperborean regions, brought down occasionally by 

 the great cold waves that originate in those high 

 latitudes. It is a bird of Siberian and Alaskan ever- 

 greens, and passes its life for the most part far be- 

 yond the haunts of man. I have never seen the 

 bird, but small bands of them make excursions every 

 winter down into our territory from British America. 

 Audubon, I believe, saw them in Maine ; other ob- 

 servers have seen them in Minnesota. It has the 

 crest of the cedar-bird, the same yellow border to its 

 tail, but is marked with white on its wings, as if a 

 snow-flake or two had adhered to it from the north- 

 ern cedars and pines. If you see about the ever- 

 greens in the coldest, snowiest weather what appear 

 to be a number of very large cherry-birds, observe 

 them well, for the chances are that visitants from 

 the circumpolar regions are before your door. It is 

 a sign also that the frost legions of the north are out 

 in great force and carrying all before them. 



Our cedar or cherry-bird is the most silent bird 



