OF EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. 205 



suggests, beyond doubt, the dissociation of the 

 other two subfamilies. 



Subfamily Ampelinae. Waxwings. 



This subfamily as restricted, includes but one 

 genus with three species ; one of Asia and Japan, 

 one of Europe and America, and one indigenous 

 to this country. Being songless, they are in marked 

 contrast with the Myiadestincz and Ptilogonydince. 

 By a strange misnomer, these birds are designated 

 ^chatterers" which are in fact the most silent of 

 all aves, their only voice being a wheezy kind of 

 whistle. The head is crested, and the wings are 

 provided with curious horny appendages of the 

 color of red sealing-wax,, the use of which is 

 unknown. In our species the tail is tipped with 

 yellow; the plumage very smooth and of a name- 

 less color. The young are minus the wing orna- 

 ments, and have a streaked plumage. 



Ampelis cedrorum, Scl. 



* The Cedar Bird, as the above species is exclu- 

 sively called in some sections of the country, is 

 tolerably abundant and exceedingly nomadic. It 

 changes its quarters according as food becomes 

 plentiful or scarce. Late in the autumn small 

 flocks may be observed feeding upon the berries 

 of Juniperus Virginiana, J. communis, Vaccinium 

 stamineum, and Liquidambar styraciflua. In the 

 middle of winter we have seen it subsisting upon 

 the berries of J. Virginiana, J. communis, Rhus 



