BIRDS NOT OF A FEATHER 81 



like drops of sealing-wax, rarely seen on tail quills, which 



have yellow bands across the end. 

 Female — With duller plumage, smaller crest, and narrower 



tail-band. 

 Range — ^North America, from northern British provinces to 



Central America in winter. 

 Migrations — ^A roving resident, without fixed seasons for 



migrating. 



So few birds wear their head feathers crested that it is a 

 simple matter to name them by their top-knots alone, 

 even if one did not see the gray plumage of the little tufted 

 titmouse, the dusky hue of the crested flycatcher, the blue 

 of the jay and the kingfisher, the red of the cardinal, and 

 the richly shaded grayish brown of the cedar waxwing, 

 which is, perhaps, the most familiar of them all. His neat 

 and well-groomed plumage is fine and very silky, almost 

 dove-like in coloring, and although there are no gaudy 

 features about it, few birds are so exquisitely dressed. 

 The pointed crest, which rises and falls to express every 

 passing emotion, and the velvety black chin, forehead, and 

 line running apparently through the eye, give distinction 

 to the head. The tail has a narrow yellow band across its 

 end, and on the wings are the small red spots like sealing- 

 wax that are responsible for the bird's queer name. 



It is difficult to think of a single bird when one usually 

 sees a flock. Sociable to a degree, the waxwings rove 

 about a neighborhood in scattered companies, large and 

 small, to feed on the cedar or juniper berries, choke berries, 

 dogwood, and woodbine berries, elder, haw, and other small 

 wild fruits on which they feed very greedily; then move on 



