Chatterers.] 



MUSEUM OF ANIMATED NATURE. 



307 



I 



the quill and tail feathers are deep black, and the 

 middle wing coverts are bright ash-grey. The 

 crest is of a uniform tint, wanting the deeper- 

 coloured semicircular line edging the helmet-like 

 crest of the preceding. Of its habits and manners 

 nothing is known, but we may safely infer that they 

 resemble those of the Rupicofa aurantia. 



1392. — The Green Calyptomena 

 (Calt/ptomena viridis). In the genus Calyptomena 

 the bill is depressed and wide at the base, curved 

 or hooked at the point, and nearly hidden by the 

 feathers of the crest, which is erect and com- 

 pressed ; the wings are ample ; the tail is short ; the 

 middle and outer toes are connected as far as the 

 second joint. 



This beautiful and richly-coloured bird is about 

 the size of a thrush, measuring about six inches and 

 a hall' in length; it is a native of Singapore and 

 the interior of Sumatra. We learn from Sir Stam- 

 ford Raffies that it shrouds itself in the mc<sf retired 

 parts of the forests, where it perches on the highest 

 branches, and that from this circumstance and the 

 blending of its emerald-green tints with those of 

 the leaves, it is not to be easily discerned and pro- 

 cured. In the specimens which he examined the 

 stomach contained nothing but vegetable sub- 

 stances, chiefly wild grains. It is termed Burong 

 Tampo Pinang by the Malays. "The general 

 colour of this bird is a brilliant metallic green. The 

 head is rather large, and its feathers are directed 

 forwards from each side, in such a manner as nearly 

 to conceal the bill, giving the face a very peculiar 

 appearance. A little above and before the eyes the 

 feathers are of a deep velvet-black at their base, 

 and only tipped with green, but crossed on the 

 coverts by three velvet-black bands ; the primary 

 feathers, as well as the whole under-side of the 

 wings, are dusky, approaching to black ; with the 

 exception of the outer margins of some which are 

 edged with green. The tail is short, rounded, com- 

 posed of ten feathers, which are green above and 

 bluish-black below. The whole of the under parts 

 are green : this colour is lightest on the sides of the 

 neck and round the eyes. The bill is short, wide, 

 much depressed at the base, deeply cleft, and 

 hooked at the point. Nostrils oval at the base of 

 the bill, and concealed by the iiliforra feathers that 

 project over them. The eyes are rather large ; the 

 irides bluish. Legs bluish-black ; a few feathers 

 come down over the upper part of the tarsi. Feet 

 gressorial ; outer toe not much shorter than the 

 middle one, with which it is united as far as the 

 last joint. The female does not differ in appear- 

 ance from the male." (Raffles.) 



1393.— The Bohemian Chatterer 



(Bombi/ciUa Sohemicd). This elegant species, which 

 is known by the English name of the Waxen Chat- 

 terer, the Bohemian Wax-wing, and Silk-tail, is Le 

 Jaseur de Boheme (Buffon, &c.), Grand jaseur 

 (Temminck), and Geay de Boheme of the French ; 

 Garrulo di Boemia of the Italians ; Rothlicherauer 

 Seidenschwantz (Meyer), Europaischer Seiden- 

 schwanz and Der Gemeine Seidenschwanz (Bech- 

 stein) of the Germans; Garrulus Bohemicus of 

 Gesner ; Bombycilla, Schwenck ; Ampelis, Aldro- 

 vand ; Bombycilla of Brisson; Ampelis garrulus of 

 Linnaeus ; Bombyciphora garrula, Brehm ; Bomby- 

 ciphora poliocaelia of Meyer; Bombycivora garrula 

 of Temminck ; and Bombycilla garrula of Vieillot. 



In addition to the nomenclature above given, the 

 bird is said to be named by the Italians in some 

 localities Becco-Frisone, in others Galletto del 

 bosco, and by the bird-catchers of Bologna, Uccello 

 del mondo novo; by the Germans, Zinzerelle, Wip- 

 ifertz, Schnee-vogel, and Schnee-Leschke ; and by 

 those in the neighbourhood of Nuremberg, Bee- 

 merle and Behemle ; by the Swedes, Siden-swantz ; 

 by the Bohemians, Brkoslaw; and by the Poles, 

 Jcbwabniczka and Jemiolucha. 



The Bohemian Chatterer, or Wax-wing, is a rare 

 and accidental visitor to our island, and that only 

 during severe winters, when sometimes considerable 

 flocks make their appearance and feed upon the 

 hips of the dog-rose, the haws of the thorn, ttie 

 berries of the mountain-ash, &c. These migratory 

 visits to our island are, however, irregular ; but on 

 the Continent, in Norway and Russia, great num- 

 bers are seen every winter; and in northern Asia 

 and the adjacent parts of Europe their migrations 

 are regular. Numerous flocks pass through Scania 

 in November, taking a southern direction, and 

 return northwards through the same region in 

 •pring. In Germany and Bohemia, according to 

 Bechstein, flocks are found along the skirts of the 

 extensive forests. In France the Wax-wing is very 

 rare, and also in Italy ; though occasionally in the 

 latter country large flights have made their appear- 

 ance, and, according to popular superstition, a 

 fatality attended their movements. 



The Bohemian chatterer is not confined to 

 Europe and Asia (where it extends from the 



western limits of the former to Japan) ; it is a 

 native also of the northern regions of the American 

 continent. It is common on the Athabasca river 

 near the Rocky Mountains, and has been killed 

 there in the spring, both by the Prince of Canino 

 and Mr. Drummond, and Dr. Richardson observed 

 it in the same season at Great Bear Lake, in lat. 

 65°, where a male, of which he gives a description, 

 was shot on the 24th May of that year. " Speci- 

 mens," writes Dr. Richardson, " procured at the 

 former place, and transmitted to England by the 

 servants of the Hudson's Bay Company, were com- 

 municated by Mr. Leadbeater to the Prince of 

 Musignano, who has introduced the species into his 

 great work on the birds of the United States. In 

 its autumn migration southwards, this bird must 

 cross the territory of the United States, if it does 

 not actually winter within it ; but I have not heard 

 of its having been hitherto seen in America to the 

 southward of the fifty-fifth parallel of latitude. 



" The mountainous nature of the country skirting 

 the Northern Pacific Ocean, being congenial to the 

 habits of this species, it is probably more generally 

 diffused in New Caledonia and the Russian-Ame- 

 rican territories, than to the eastward of the Rocky 

 Mountain chain. It appears in flocks at Great 

 Bear Lake about the 2-lth of May, wheii the spring 

 thaw has exposed the berries of the Alpine arbutus, 

 marsh vaccinium, &c., that have been frozen and 

 covered during winter. It stays only a few days, 

 and none of the Indians of that quarter with whom 

 I conversed had seen its nests ; but I have reason 

 to believe that it retires in the breeding-season to 

 the rugged and secluded mountain limestone dis- 

 tricts, in the sixty-seventh and sixty-eighth parallels, 

 when it feeds on the fruit of the common juniper, 

 which abounds in these places." Dr. Richardson 

 adds, that he observed a large flock of at least three 

 or four hundred on the banks of the Saskatchewan, 

 at Carlton House, early in May, 1827. They 

 alighted in a grove of poplars, settling all on one or 

 two trees, and making a loud twittering noise. 

 They stayed only about an hour in the morning, 

 and were too shy to allow him to approach within 

 gunshot. 



With respect to the summer breeding-places of 

 the Waxen Chatterer in Europe and Asia, nothing 

 is known. Temminck says that it is supposed to 

 resort to the high northern latitudes, the regions 

 within the Arctic Circle, but the Prince of Canino 

 suggests that the extensive and elevated table- 

 land of Central Asia is its principal rendezvous, 

 whence it makes irregular excursions east and west, 

 extending its journey according to the season or 

 other causes. According to the same author, the 

 Wax-wing in a state of nature is very social with 

 its companions, the individuals of a flock exhibit- 

 ing much kindness to each other, and caressing 

 and supplying each other with food ; their flight is 

 rapid ; they usually alight on trees, and when on 

 the ground hop along very awkwardly. Bechstein 

 reports that in captivity the Wax-wing is stupid, 

 indolent, and voracious, refusing nothing eatable, 

 such as potatoes, cabbage, bread, and fruit of 

 all sorts, and that it is easily tamed. " Its song 

 consists only of a weak uncertain whistling, a little 

 resembling that of the thrush, but not so loud ; 

 while singing it moves the crest, but scarcely the 

 throat ; when angry, its strikes the feeding-trough 

 violently with its beak." It may be taken in nooses, 

 or in nets and traps baited witii berries. Its flesh 

 is said to be excellent. 



The Bohemian Chatterer is about eight inches 

 in length, and in contour approaches the starling. 

 The general plumage is dull vinous ash, tinted with 

 ferruginous red on the plumage and cheeks ; the 

 feathers of the head are prolonged into a beautiful 

 crest ; the throat, the feathers around the nostrils, 

 and a stripe which passes from the beak to the 

 back of the neck, are black. The primary quill- 

 feathers are brownish black, each feather having a 

 yellow line on its inner margin near the tip. The 

 secondaries are tipped with white, each having the 

 shaft prolonged and furnished with a small horny 

 scarlet appendage, like a little flattish oval bead of 

 red sealing-wax, whence the name " wax-wing." 

 The tail is black, tipped with a yellow band. 

 Beak and tarsi black. Irides reddish. The female 

 is generally similar to the male, but the yellow of 

 the wings is not so bright, nor are the wax-like 

 appendages so large or so numerous. 



1394, 1395.— The Cedar-Bird 



{Bomhycilla Carolinensis). This species is the 

 Ampelis garrulus, var. /3, of the ' Systema Naturae ;' 

 Garrulus Carolinensis, Le Jaseur de Caroline, the 

 Chatterer of Catesby ; Turdus garrulus Carolinensis 

 of Klein ; Coquantototl of Hernandez ; Avis Ame- 

 ricana cristata, XomotI dicta of Seba ; Chatterer of 

 Carolina of Edwards ; Cedar-bird, Ampelis Ame- 

 ricana, of Wilson ; Recollect of the Canadian 

 Voyageurs ; Bombycilla Carolinensis of Brisson, 

 Bonaparte, Audubon, and others. It is said to be 



found in the whole extent between Mexico and 

 Canada, and parties are said occasionally to roam 

 as far south as the forests of Guiana. In the United 

 States it is a resident during the whole year, the 

 northern and middle states being its more usual 

 quarters in the summer, and the southern in the 

 winter sea.son. It is stated that the bird has been 

 found on the north-west coast of America, but its 

 northern boundary appears to fall short of that of 

 Bombycilla Bohemica. Say saw it near Winnipeg 

 river in latitude 50°, and Dr. Richardson states his 

 belief that it has not been hitherto observed to the 

 northward of the fifty fourth parallel. He says 

 that Mr. Drummond saw several small flocks on 

 the south branch of the Saskatchewan on the 27th 

 June, and gives a description of a male killed there 

 in lat. 52^° on that day, 1827. He adds, that it 

 frequents the northern shores of La^es Huron and 

 Superior in summer. 



The cedar-birds utter a feeble lisping sound, and 

 " fly," says Wilson, " in compact bodies of from 

 twenty to fifty ; and usually alight so close together 

 on the same tree, that one-half are frequently shot 

 down at a time. In the months of July and August, 

 they collect together in flocks, and retire to the 

 hilly parts of the state, the Blue Mountains, and 

 other collateral ridges of the Alleghany, to enjoy 

 the fruit of the Vaccinium uliginosum, whortle- 

 berries, which grow there in great abundance, 

 whole mountains for many miles being almost 

 entirely covered with them ; and where, in the month 

 of August, I have myself found the cedar-birds 

 numerous. In October they descend to the lower 

 cultivated parts of the country, to feed on the 

 berries of the sour gum and red cedar, of which 

 last they are immoderately fond ; and thirty or 

 forty may sometimes be seen fluttering among the 

 branches of one small cedar-tree, plucking off' the 



berries In the tall, and beginning of summer, 



when they become very fat, they are in considerable 

 esteem for the table ; and great numbers are 

 brought to the market of Philadelphia, where they 

 are sold at from twelve to twenty-five cents, per 

 dozen. During the whole winter and spring they 

 are occasionally seen ; and about the 25th of May 

 appear in numerous parties making great havoc 

 among the early cherries, selecting the .best and 

 ripest of the fruit." Audubon says that they reach 

 Louisiana about the beginning of November, and 

 retire towards the middle districts in the beginning 

 of March. " The holly," writes the author last 

 quoted, " the vines, the persimon, the pride of 

 China, and various other trees, supply them with 

 plenty of berries and fruits, on which' they fatten, 

 and become so tender and juicy as to be sought by 

 every epicure for the table." 



In June, while cherries and strawberries abound, 

 they become extremely fat, and about the 10th or 

 12th of that month disperse over the country in 

 pairs to breed ; sometimes fixing on the cedar 

 (Juniperus Virginiana), but generally choosing the 

 orchard for that purpose. The nest is large for the 

 size of the bird, and is fixed in the forked or 

 horizontal branch of an apple-tree, ten or twelve 

 feet from the ground ; and sometimes several nests 

 are to be seen in the same vicinity. 



Externally the nest is composed of fibres and 

 coarse dry stalks of grass ; the inside is lined 

 entirely with very fine stalks of the same material. 

 The eggs are three or four, of a dingy bluish white, 

 thick at the great end, tapering suddenly, and be- 

 coming very narrow at the other, marked with small 

 roundish spots, of black of various sizes and shades : 

 and the great end is of a pale dull purple tinge, 

 marked likewise with touches of various shades of 

 purple and black. About the last week in June the 

 young are hatched, and are at firet fed on insects 

 and their larvae ; but as they advance in growth, on 

 berries of variouskinds. " The female," says Wilson, 

 from whose personal observation the foregoing facts 

 are given, "if disturbed, darts from the nest in 

 silence to a considerable distance ; no notes of 

 wailing or lamentation are heard from either parent, 

 nor are they even seen, notwithstanding you are in 

 the tree examining the nest and young. . . . The 

 season of love, which makes almost every other 

 small bird musical, has no such effect on them; 

 for they continue at that interesting period as silent 

 as before." 



Audubon states that these birds are " excellent 

 fly-catchers, spending much of their time in the 

 pursuit of winged insects, but yet without much 

 vivacity or energy of action. They start from the 

 branches and give chace to the insects, ascending 

 after them for a few yards or moving horizontally 

 toward them, perhaps rather farther than when 

 ascending, and as soon as the prey is secured they 

 return to tlie spot, where they continue watching 

 with slow motions of the head. Towards evening 

 this amusement is carried on for half an hour or an 

 hour at a time, and is continued longer at the 

 approach of autumn, the berries then becoming 

 scarcer.'' 



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