THE WAXWING. 281 



tip of tail. Bill flattish, wide at base, slightly notched at tip. 

 Nostrils almost covered with short, somewhat stiff feathers, a few 

 fine, very short, rictal bristles. Tarsal joint feathered. 



Soft parts. Bill black, flesh at base ; legs and feet black ; 

 iris dark brown. 



CHARACTERS AND ALLIED SPECIES. No subspecies. A. cedrorum 

 (temperate North America) is smaller and has no white and yellow 

 on wing -feathers. A. japonica (south-east Siberia, Japan) has 

 red tips to tail, primaries and greater \ving-co verts. 

 FIELD-CHARACTERS. Its confiding habits allow a close approach 

 when it is feeding on berries in winter, and conspicuous crest, 

 general brown colouring and lemon-yellow tips to tail combined 

 with black chin and white bar on wings are unmistakable. The 

 deep sienna-brown under tail-coverts are also noticeable from 

 below (F.C.R.J.). 



BREEDING-HABITS.-- Usually in coniferous forest, but sometimes 

 also in birch woods and generally in rather open spaces, with young 

 trees. Nest. Built of spruce twigs, lichens (Usnea) and a little 

 grass. Sometimes a little hair or down or a few feathers in lining. 

 Eggs. 4 to 6 : once 7, ashv-grey or ashy-blue in ground-colour, 

 sometimes very light, with distinct black or blackish-brown spots 

 and grey shell-marks. Average of 100 eggs. 24 x 17.3 mm. 

 Breeding-season. Apparently from second week of June onward 

 to nearly end of month in Lapland. Incubation. No information. 



FOOD. In British Isles in winter, food consists of berries, hips of 

 dog-rose, berries of mountain-ash, hawthorn, privet, yew and holly, 

 also buds of ash. Insects (chiefly diptera and also ephemeridse 

 #.nd phryganeidse) are also eaten in summer ; and berries of Empetrum 

 nigrum, V actinium uliginosum, etc., have been found in young. 

 DISTRIBUTION. Great Britain. Irregular visitor from Oct. to 

 March, but generally in winter-months, very occasionally April, 

 very rarely May, and twice Julv (Yorks.). Sometimes occurs in 

 considerable numbers, as in winters 1686, 1834-5, 1849-50, 1866-7, 

 1872-3, 1892-3, 1903-4, and 1913-14. Most frequent on eastern 

 side. Has occurred in most counties but more rarely in west 

 England and Scotland, and still more rarely in Wales and north 

 Scotland (including Orkneys and Shetlands), and on\y three times 

 in O. Hebrides. Ireland. Rare and irregular winter- visitor chiefly 

 in east and north. Occasionally in some numbers, as in 1903-4. 

 DISTRIBUTION. Abroad. Arctic regions of eastern and western 

 hemispheres. In Europe, north Scandinavia, north Finland, and 

 north Russia. In winter farther south, regularly as far as east 

 Prussia, rarely to Italy. 



[NOTE. The example of the SOUTH AFRICAN BULBTJI, (Pycnonotus 

 capensts, or one of its subspecies) shot near Waterford, Ireland, Jan., 1838, 

 had no doubt escaped from captivity (Yarrell, i, p. 247 ; Saunders, p. 144) ] 



