A BUNCH or BRIGHT BIRDS 277 



world) is ranked with the waxwings, though ex- 

 cept for its crest there is little or nothing in its 

 outward appearance to suggest such a relation- 

 ship; and the crest itself bears but a moderate re- 

 semblance to the pointed topknot of our familiar 

 cedar-bird. What I call the Phainopepla's ele- 

 gance comes partly from its form, which is the 

 very perfection of shapeliness, having in the 

 highest degree that elusive quality which ia semi- 

 slang phrase is designated as " style ; " partly 

 from its motions, all prettily conscious and in a 

 pleasing sense affected, hke the movements of a 

 dancing-master ; and partly from its color, which 

 is black with the most exquisite bluish sheen, set 

 off in the finest manner by broad wing-patches 

 of white. These wing-patches are noticeable, 

 furthermore, for being divided into a kind of 

 network by black lines. It is for this reason, I 

 suppose, that they have a peculiar gauzy look (I 

 speak of their appearance while in action) such 

 as I have never seen in the case of any other bird, 

 and which often made me think of the ribbed, 

 translucent wings of certain dragon flies. 



Doubtless this peculiar appearance was height- 

 ened to my eyes, because of the mincing, waver- 

 ing, over-buoyant method of flight (the wings 

 being carried unusually high) to which I have 

 alluded, and which always suggested to me the 



