168 THE WAXWING 



Mr. Dresser, who found the waxwing in abundance during a 

 winter in Southern Finland, tells us that it is confiding and tame, 

 flocking in large numbers to the mountain-ash trees in search of the 

 coral-red berries, often stealing into the very centre of the towns. So 

 tame were they that when fired at, and one or two were killed, the 

 rest would fly only to a short distance and return again. 



During the winter months small flocks are not uncommon in the 

 south of Sweden, where they have been observed, flying usually at a 

 great height, not unlike starlings, a resemblance caused by the long 

 wings and relatively short tail. 



According to Naumann, Meves found waxwings in July, in marshy 

 woods near Onega in Russia, accompanied by young, and feeding on 

 the blue berries of Larnicera sibirica. From the fact that he shot an 

 immature female accompanied by young birds, he concludes that this 

 species becomes sexually mature before the adult plumage is attained, 

 as in the case of the golden oriole, and many other species. 



Mr. Dresser tells us that when the bird is alarmed, the ample 

 crest, which forms not the least of its personal attractions, is raised and 

 spread slightly outwards. Judging from the behaviour of other birds, 

 however, alarm would be indicated by drawing the crest, and plumage 

 generally, close down to the body, while when excited or angry the 

 crest would be raised, and the body feathers puffed out. 



On all hands the waxwing is described as a very silent bird, and 

 hereby it is manifest that the name " chatterer," by which it has been 

 called, is a gross libel. According to Dresser its only utterance is a 

 plaintive whistle, shriller, and higher in pitch, on occasions of alarm. 

 Harvie-Brown speaks of the " low cissee " notes ... at first taken for 

 those of some tit. Seebohm remarks that the one note heard by 

 him could only be described as a ' " cir-ir-ir-ir-re" very similar to a 

 well-known note of a blue tit.' Occasionally it is said this succession 

 of notes was repeated so rapidly as to form a trill like the song of the 

 redpoll. 



Strenuous efforts have been made to induce them to breed in 



