170 CEDAR WAXWING. 



crest is now erected, their wings are seen constantly moving, and so eagerly 

 do they grasp at the berries that they suffer many of them to fall. Every 

 flock passing within hearing is invited to join in the feast, and in a few hours 

 the tree is entirely stripped of its fruit. In this manner they search the 

 whole of the forests, and towards winter are even satisfied with the berries 

 of the dog-wood. As the cherries and mulberries ripen in the Middle 

 Districts, the Cedar-bird pays them frequent visits, and when these are out 

 of season, the blackberries and huckleberries have their turn. After this, 

 the Cedars supply a new and favourite food. I think the name of Fruit- 

 devourers would be more applicable to these birds than that of Chatterers, 

 which they bear among naturalists. 



They are excellent fly-catchers also, spending much of their time in the 

 pursuit of winged insects. This is by way of dessert, and is not managed 

 with the vivacity or suddenness of true Fly-catchers, but with a kind of 

 listlessness. They start from the branches, and give chase to the insects, 

 ascending after them for a few yards, or move horizontally towards them, 

 perhaps rather farther than when ascending, and as soon as the prey is 

 secured, return to the spot, where they continue watching with slow motions 

 of the head. Towards evening, this amusement is carried on for half an 

 hour, or an hour at a time, and is continued longer at the approach of autumn, 

 the berries then becoming scarcer. 



These birds come from the north, but the furthest place from which they 

 have started I am unable to tell. They reach the Middle Districts about the 

 beginning of April, and begin to pair in the beginning of June, when 

 thousands of young birds of other species have already left the nest. Their 

 favourite place for their nest is generally the branch of an apple-tree in the 

 orchard, its horizontal direction being apparently best adapted for their taste, 

 although here they are frequently very insecure, the nest being seldom 

 higher than ten feet from the ground, and often so low as to be seen into. It 

 is composed of coarse grasses externally, and is lined with a finer kind. The 

 female usually lays four eggs, of a purplish white, marked with black spots, 

 which are larger towards the great end. The young are at first fed on 

 insects, but after a week the parents procure different kinds of fruits for 

 them. The Cedar-bird nestles less frequently in the low lands than it does 

 in the upper parts of the country, preferring the immediate neighbourhood 

 of mountains. These birds are more careful of themselves during the 

 intrusion of strangers to their nest, than perhaps any other species, and sneak 

 off, in a very unparental manner, quite out of sight, without ever evincing 

 the least appearance of sorrow on the occasion. I have not been able to 

 ascertain whether they raise more than one brood in a season. 



When wounded by a shot, they fall to the ground as if dead, and remain 



