AMPELIS GARRULUS : BOHEMIAN WAXWING. 



FAMILY AMPELID^E : WAXWINGS. 



BOHEMIAN WAXWING. 

 AMPELIS GARRULUS Z. 



Chars. Under tail-coverts chestnut ; front and sides of the head 

 tinged with a richer, more orange-brown shade ; primary wing- 

 coverts tipped with white ; each quill with a sharp white (or yel- 

 lowish) stripe at the end of the outer web ; chin velvety black in 

 a large, well-defined area ; narrow line across forehead, along 

 sides of head, through eyes, meeting its fellow on the occiput 

 behind the crest, also velvety black ; no white on under eyelid 

 nor across forehead ; no yellowish on belly ; bill and feet black. 

 Length, 7.75 ; extent, 14.75 > w ' n g> 4-5 '> ta 'l> 2 -S- 



This eccentric bird has only been observed in New 

 England as an erratic visitor from the north, in win- 

 ter ; and even then its visits are irregular and very 

 infrequent. We have records of captures or occur- 

 rences at various localities throughout New England ; 

 but it is unnecessary to enumerate them, as they prove- 

 no rule. The Bohemian is well known to roam at 

 large over Europe and America in flocks sometimes 

 of enormous extent, keeping mostly in high latitudes, 

 but occasionally whirling southward. Its breeding re- 

 sorts were long a mystery. In America, it is only 

 known to nest on the Yukon. In New England it 

 generally appears as a straggler, seldom farther south 

 than Massachusetts ; but flocks of some size have 

 occasionally been observed. Geographical distribu- 

 tion and the vagabond nature of the bird aside, the 



