XVII 

 WAXWINGS, SHRIKES, AND VIREOS 



CEDAR WAXWING ; CHERRY-BIRD 



June, 21, 1852. Cherry-birds. I have not seen, though 

 I think I have heard them before, — their fine seringo 

 note, like a vibrating spring in the air. They are a hand- 

 some bird, with their crest and chestnut breasts. There 

 is no keeping the run of their goings and comings, but 

 they will be ready for the cherries when they shall be 

 ripe. 



June 16, 1854. The note of the cherry-bird is fine 

 and ringing, but peculiar and very noticeable. With its 

 crest it is a resolute and combative-looking bird. 



June 14, 1855. A cherry-bird's nest and two eggs 

 in an apple tree, fourteen feet from ground. One ^^;g^ 

 round black spots and a few oblong, about equally but 

 thinly dispersed over the whole, and a dim, internal, 

 purplish tinge about the large end. It is difficult to see 

 anything of the bird, for she steals away early, and 

 you may neither see nor hear anything of her while ex- 

 amining the nest, and so think it deserted. Approach 

 very warily and look out for them a dozen or more 

 rods off. 



March, 1, 1856. Goodwin says that somewhere where 

 he lived thiey called cherry-birds " port-royals." 



March, 20, 1858. On that same tree by Conant's or- 

 chard, I see a flock of cherry-birds with that alert, chief- 



