WAXWINGS. 158 



to their dreary whispers, until they fly away. They move 

 through the air rapidly, steadily, and as if under military dis- 

 cipline, so unbroken are their ranks. They commonly disap- 

 pear, like several other birds, at uncertain times of the year, 

 and undoubtedly go to some place where their favorite food is 

 abundant while they are absent from one's own neighborhood. 

 In May they usually become common, and appear in smaller 

 companies in almost all parts of the open country. These 

 flocks finally become divided into pairs, who build their nests 

 when nearly all our other birds have hatched the eggs of 

 their first or even second broods. The Cherry-birds, in sum- 

 mer, sometimes imitate the habits of the Flycatchers (to whom 

 they are, perhaps, more closely allied than is now admitted), 

 and I have seen them perform graceful evolutions in the air, 

 in the manner of the King-birds. As their name indicates, they 

 sometimes eat cherries, but much less often than is commonly 

 supposed by certain farmers, who are but too ready to dis- 

 pharge their guns at these birds, in spite of their usefulness 

 in destroying caterpillars. 



Nuttall, in speaking of the Cedar-birds, says: "An eye- 

 witness assures me he has seen one among a row of these birds 

 seated upon a branch dart after an insect, and ofEer it to his 

 associate when caught, who very disinterestedly passed it to the 

 next, and each delicately declining the offer, the morsel has 

 proceeded backwards and forwards before it was appropri- 

 ated." 



d. The " wheezy " lisp of the Cedar-birds seems to be the 

 only sound which they emit, throughout the year, and they 

 often utter it when on the wing. Dr. Brewer says of a young 

 cage-bird that " besides its low lisping call, this bird had a 

 regular faint attempt at a song of several low notes, uttered 

 in so low a tone that it would be almost inaudible at even 

 a short distance." 



The Cherry-birds are certainly handsome, particularly if 

 their crest be raised, though they possess but little bright 

 coloring ; and there are probably few birds who find a readier 

 sale at the country taxidermist's than these. In regard to 

 their habits, they are perhaps uninteresting ; but their manner 

 of flight, when in parties, is nearly unsurpassed. 



