AMPELIN^, WAXWINGS. — GEN. 50. 115 



Birds of the three following genera agree in this character: — -Bill short, broad, 

 flattened, plainly notched at tip, with wide rictus, and culmen or gonys hardly if 

 at all exceeding half the length of the commissure ; basal phalanx of middle toe 

 joined with outer toe for about two-thirds its length, and to inner toe for about half 

 its length. The three genera, or subfamilies, that follow, may be readily and pre- 

 cisely defined. 



Suhfamily AMPELINuT]. Waxwings. 



Bill as just described ; nasal fossae broad, nasal opening exposed, but overarched 

 hj a broad scale more or less completely covered with close-set velvety antrorse 

 feathers. Wings with ten primaries, but the first spurious, very short and displaced 

 (on the outer side of the second) so as to be readily overlooked ; point of the wing 

 formed by the thii'd primarj', closely supported by the second and fourth, the fifth 

 being abruptly shorter. Inner quills, as a rule, and sometimes the tail feathers, 

 tipped with horny appendages like red sealing-wax. Tail short, square, J- or | as 

 long as the wings, the under coverts highljr developed, reaching nearly to its end. 

 Feet weak ; the tarsus shorter than the middle toe and claw, its podotheca some- 

 what receding from strict oscine character. 



Of this subfamilj' as here restricted there is onljr one genus with three species — 

 one of Europe and America, one of Asia and Japan, and one confined to this 

 country. They are songiess, in this difl^eriug altogether from the MyiadestincB and 

 Ptilogonydinae ; and I should not be surprised if their relationships proved to be 

 entirely with a certain exotic clamatorial family. Although by a strange mis- 

 nomer sometimes called "chatterers" they are among the most silent of all birds, 

 their only voice being a weak wheezy kind of whistle. Thej^ feed chiefly on berries 

 and other soft fruits, but also on insects, and are gregarious and migrator}^ The 

 sexes are alike ; the head is adorned with a beautiful crest ; the wings have unique 

 ornaments, the use of which is unknown ; the tail is tipped with yellow (red in the 

 Japanese species, j^hcenicojjterum) ; the plumage is extremely .smooth, and of a 

 nameless color. Young birds lack the curious horny appendages, and have the 

 general plumage streaked. 



50. Genus AMPELIS Linnseus. 

 . \ \ ' Bohemian Waxiuing . Under tail coverts chestnut ; front and sides of 

 |f the head tinged with a richer, more orange-brown shade ; primary wing 



coverts tipped with white ; each quill with 



a sharp white (or yellowish) 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 



occiijut behind the crest, also velvety 



black; no white on under eyelid nor ^^g Bohemian waxwmg. 



across forehead ; no yellowish on belly ; «> appendages of the inner quins. 



bill and feet black. 7 or 8 inches long, M'ing about 4J. Northern North 



America ; IT. S. casually in winter, but sometimes appearing in immense 



roving flocks; S. sometimes to 35°. Aud., iv, 269, pi. 246; Nutt., i, 



246; Bd., 317 garrulus. 



