Rare visi- 
tant. 
Food. 
General 
Descrip- 
tion. 
85 OMNIVORI. BOMBYCIVORA. Wax-wine. 
The Wax-wing is a rare visitant in England, seen only at 
long and uncertain intervals. 
In the winter of 1810, large flocks were dispersed through 
various parts of the kingdom; and, from that period, it does 
not seem to have visited our island till the month of February 
1822, when a few came under my inspection, and several 
were again observed during the severe storm, in the winter of 
1823. Upon the Continent its residences are subject to simi- 
lar uncertainty ; very little is known of its particular habits, 
and the place of its nidification is a matter of doubt, though 
some authors affirm that it breeds in a high northern lati- 
tude. 
When with us, it generally associates in flocks, feeding 
upon the berries of the mountain-ash (Sorbus aucuparia), 
thorn (Crategus oxyacantha), &c. It is an elegant bird, 
with regard both to form and plumage. The Carolina wax- 
wing is considered by LatnHam to be merely a variety of 
this, but I have very little doubt of its beg a distinct spe- 
cies, not only from its marked inferiority of size, but from 
the radical difference of colour observable in various parts 
of the plumage. 
Priate 34. *. Represents a male and female of this species 
in the natural size. 
Bill black, inclining to yellowish-white at the base. Nos- 
trils covered with small black feathers. Irides purplish 
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 pale-brown purplish-red colour. Neck, 
breast, and upper part of the back purplish-red, imclin- 
ing to brocoli-brown, with a greyish cast. Lesser wing- 
coverts the same colour, but a shade darker. Greater 
coverts black, tipped with white. Primary quills black, 
with a bright spot of king’s yellow near the tips of their 
outer webs, which are white. Secondaries grey, tipped 
with white, on the outer web, and having flat red carti- 
