BOHEMIAN CHATTERER. 161 



INSESSOJiES. AMPELIDM. 



DENTIROSTRES. 



PLATE CXXL 



BOHEMIAN CHATTERER, 



Ampelis garrulus. (Penn.) 



The Bohemian Chatterer is a very beautiful and 

 singular looking bird, approaching nearest in appearance to 

 the jays and shrikes ; in habits entirely different from either. 



The silky texture of the feathering, and the remarkably 

 bright colouring disposed about this bird, seem almost in 

 contradiction to the fact of its being an inhabitant of the 

 colder climates of Europe. 



During the summer months the Bohemian Chatterer in- 

 habits the Arctic Regions, from whence it only departs south- 

 ward on the approach of the severest frost and snow. Russia, 

 Sweden, and Poland, are then visited, until scarcity of food 

 drives it into Germany, Switzerland, France, and Britain. 

 In Silesia and Bohemia they are every winter regularly found 

 in the forests with which those countries abound ; they arrive 

 in the latter part of November, and depart in March, al- 

 though long continuance of cold weather has been known to 

 detain them till April. 



This bird is well known as an inhabitant of North Ame- 

 rica ; and visits in winter the milder regions of that continent 

 in the same manner that it does those of Europe. 



In Germany, where superstition is indigenous, the appear- 

 ance of the Bohemian Chatterer has generally been considered 



VOL. III. M 



