Wax-Wing. INSESSORES. BOMBYCILLA. 269 



similar uncertainty ; very little is known of its particular 

 habits, and the place of its nidification was long a matter of 

 doubt, but it has been since ascertained to inhabit the ele- 

 vated and mountainous regions of Asia, and to breed there. 

 It has lately been discovered also in North America by Dr 

 Richardson and Mr Drummond near the sources of the 

 Athabasca, and at Great Bear Lake in latitude 65°, but has 

 never been seen to the south of the 55th parallel of latitude. 

 The former writer (in the " Northern Zoology"), states, 

 that it appears in large flocks at Great Bear Lake about the 

 26th of May, where it remains but a few davs, feeding 

 upon the berries of the Alpine Arbutus, Marsh Vaccinium, 

 &c. that had been frozen, and covered with snow during the 

 winter. He adds, that he has reason to believe it retires in 

 the breeding season to the rug-e-ed and secluded mountainous 

 limestone districts, in the 68th and 69th parallels, where it 

 subsists upon the berries of the common juniper. 



When with us, it generally associates in flocks, feeding Food, 

 upon the berries of the mountain-ash (Sorbus Aucuparia), 

 thorn (Crataegus oxyacantha), &c. It is an elegant bird, 

 with regard both to form and plumage. The Carolina Wax- 

 Wing, considered by Latham to be merely a variety of this, 

 is now acknowledged as a distinct species, being much infe- 

 rior in size, and shewing a radical difference of colour in va- 

 rious parts of the plumage. 



Plate 34*. Represents a male and female of this species in 

 the natural size. 

 Bill black, inclining to yellowish-white at the base. Nos- General 

 trils covered with small black feathers. Irides purplish- tf ^j^'^^^* 

 red. The region of the eyes, chin, and throat, velvet- 

 black. Forehead brownish-red. Head-feathers elon- 

 gated, silky and loose in texture, and forming a pendent 

 crest, of a greyish-brown^ tinged with purplish-red. 

 Neck, breast, and upper part of the back purplish-red, 

 inclining to broccoli-brown, with a greyish cast. Lesser 



