74 



NATURAL HISTORY OF VERMONT. 



Part I, 



THK CEDAR, OR CHERRY BIRD. 



INSECTIVEROUS BIRDS. 



and is not often seen farther to the south- 

 ward than the north part of this state. It 

 breeds in the state of Maine, and soisie of 

 tliem very probably rear their young in 

 the northeastern part of this state. Its 

 nest, like that of the preceding, is in the 

 hollow cavity of an old tree, and one, 

 which Audubon found in Labrador, was 

 completely lined with fur. 



Genus Bombycilla. — Brisson. 



Generic Characters. — Bill short, straight 

 and elevated ; upper mandible slightly curved to- 

 wards the tip, and provided with a strongly mark- 

 ed tooth ; nostrils at the base of the bill, oval, 

 open, hidden by stiff hairs directed forward ; 

 tongue cartilagihous, broad at the tip and lacera- 

 ted ; feel with three toes directed forward, and 

 one backward, the exterior united to the middle toe. 

 Wings moderate, 1st and 2d primaries longest ; 

 the spurious feaihers very short. Se.\es alike in 

 appearance and both crested. 



THE CEDAR, OR CHERRY BIRD. 

 Bombycilla caroUnensis. — Brisson. 



Description. Head, neck, breast, 



back and wing coverts yellowish brown, 

 brighcst on the front of the crest and 

 darkest on the back ; frontlet black, with 

 a black line over the eye extending back- 

 ward under the crest ; chin blackish, a 

 white line along the margin of the under 

 jaw ; belly yellow ; vent white ; wings 

 dusky ; rump and tail coverts dark ash; tail 

 of the same color deepening into dusky and 

 broadly tipped with bright yellow ; more 

 or less of the secondaries of the wings 

 sometimes ornamented with small ver- 

 million colored appendages, resembling 

 sealing wa.x. Tiie bill, legs and claws 

 are black ; iris red. In the female the 

 tints are duller. Length 7A inches. 



History. — This species inhabits all 

 parts of the United States. It is most 

 common in the southern states durinij the 



winter and in the northern during the 

 summer. These birds are very social in 

 their habits., usually living in small flocks, 

 even during the period in which they are 

 rearing their young ; and hence we usu- 

 ally find several of their nests in the same 

 neighborhood, and often within a few 

 rods of each other. The nest is usually 

 placed in the top of a spruce or hemlock, 

 at the height of 15 or 20 feet from the 

 ground, and is constructed with sticks, 

 roots and grass, lined with lint,down and 

 other soft substances. The eggs, usually 

 4 or 5 in number, are of a pale clay-white, 

 spotted with uinber at the large end. 

 These birds, which mostly migrate to 

 the south in the fall, return to Vermont 

 in April, and are found here during the 

 summer in large numbers. During the 

 early part of summer they feed upon 

 worms and insects, and render an essen- 

 tial service by the destruction of these 

 and the catterpillars, wliich infest our or- 

 chards ; but this service is soon for- 

 gotten, and when the little bird claims 

 for Itis reward, a few of the cherries, 

 which he has protected, he is only an- 

 swered by the gun of the ungrateful and 

 cruel gardener. Although they feed upon 

 fruits and berries of various kinds, they 

 seem to be more fond of cherries and the 

 berries of red cedar than any others, and 

 hence their name Cherry Bird, or Cedar 

 Bird. 



INSECTIVEROUS BIRDS- 



In birds of this order the bill is either 

 short or of moderate length. It is straight, 

 rounded or awl-shaped. The upper man- 

 dible is curved and notched towards the 

 point, most commonly provided at the 

 base with stiff hairs directed forward. 

 Tlie feet have three toes before and one 

 behind, all on the same level. The outer 

 toe is united to the middle one as far as 

 the first articulation. Their food is in- 

 sects in the summer, but principally ber- 

 ries during the colder part of the year. 

 Their voices are, for the most part, melo- 

 dious. 



Genus Lanius. — Linnmus. 

 Generic Characters. — Bill of medium 

 size, strong, straight from the base, considerably 

 compressed ; upper mandible much bent, toothed 

 and hooked towards the tip, which is acute ; base 

 of the bill without a cere, furnished with strong 

 bristles directed forward ; nostrils close to tho 

 base, lateral, nearly round, half closed by a vaiil- 

 ted membrane, and nearly concealed by the bris- 

 tles ; tarsus longer than (he middle toe ; feet with 

 three toes before and one behind, free ; the third 

 and fourth quills longest. 



