112 BIRDS THROUGH AN OPERA-GLASS. 



XXXI. 



CEDAR-BIKD; WAXWING. 



THE cedar-birds go into pigeon-hole No. 7, the 

 place for "the waxwings," etc., and when you 

 have examined them you will feel that they de- 

 serve a cubby-hole of their own. In spring and 

 fall they are found in flocks, often of five or seven, 

 but you will be likely to overlook them if you are 

 not consciously watching the birds. They are 

 rather shy, and are slender birds, a little smaller 

 than a robin, with inconspicuous coloring, and, 

 moreover, have no song to attract your attention, 



nothing but a lisping note and a faint whis- 

 tle that sounds as if they were drawing in their 

 breath. But they are about, and in June will 

 probably nest in the nearest orchard, and eat 

 canker-worms from the village trees. 



When you find them you will be repaid for your 

 trouble. By the law of compensation, discussed 

 by Darwin under the head of Natural Selection, 

 their beauty makes up for their lack of voice", 

 while, in the case of the sparrows, plainness is 

 compensated by musical power. 



The waxwing's plumage is a soft fawn tone, lit 

 up by touches of color. Its crest is fawn, but it 

 has a black chin and a black stripe through the 

 eye, a yellow band across the end of its tail, and, 



most unique external feature of all, which ex- 



