5.24 AMPELHXE. 



plumage, the singular grace of its form, the irregular and 

 remarkable character of its immigrations, or even from its 

 being the sole representative in Europe of a peculiar family 

 of the Class, but because of the mystery 'which enwrapped 

 the place of its birth and seemed to defy the scrutiny of the 

 boldest explorers, who had in vain sought a solution of the 

 puzzle in the wildest and most inhospitable tracts of the 

 globe. This mystery was, in the year 1856, dispelled by 

 the late Mr. John Wolley, and the younger naturalists of 

 the present day can hardly realize the delight felt by their 

 predecessors at the news of his discovery, which was 

 published early in the following year. 



Not only in this country, but throughout the greater part 

 of the European continent, had the Waxwing been long 

 known as a bird which shewed itself in winter at uncertain 

 intervals. Sometimes years passed without its being seen 

 at all, and then, perhaps, for two or three seasons in 

 succession, vast flocks would suddenly appear, in some 

 places swarming upon the various berry-bearing bushes or 

 trees, greedily devouring their fruits, and then disappearing 

 as unaccountably, or dispersing throughout the district. In 

 earlier times, and possibly the belief lingers even nowadays 

 among the ignorant of some countries, this bird was looked 

 upon as the harbinger of war, pestilence or famine, and no 

 doubt whenever its arrival happened to fall in with one or 

 other of those disasters, the coincidence was made the most 

 of by persons prone to superstitious auguries. In some 

 cases, indeed, the belief was, perhaps, not quite groundless, 

 for whatever be the causes which prompt this bird's wander- 

 ings and as yet they have not been ascertained, it does not 

 seem unreasonable to ascribe them in the first place to 

 scarcity of food, induced most likely by inclement summers, 

 which would equally affect crops of man's planting, and so 

 produce dearth, with its constant comrade disease. The 

 imperfection of our records, however, almost precludes the 

 student of history from entertaining himself with any 

 serious investigation which would throw light on this 

 question, interesting as it might be, for few of the older 



