176 
allen’s naturalist’s library. 
frontal band of black, and margined behind with a narrow line 
of white; ear coverts and cheeks brown, with a white spot on 
the fore part of the latter ; a narrow moustachial line of black ; 
under-parts white, tinged with yellow, which becomes more 
marked on the vent ; the throat, breast, and flanks brown, 
streaked with pale fulvous edges to the feathers. 
Range in Great Britain — An irregular visitant in autumn and 
winter, sometimes coming in large numbers, though it occurs 
nearly every year. The years when great invasions have 
taken place in this country have been recorded as follows : 
1830-31, 1834-35, 1849-50, 1866-67, and 1872-73; but the 
earliest notice of the species in England dates back to 1681, 
when an account of its occurrence near York was published in 
the “ Philosophical Transactions.” The Wax-wing has occurred 
in nearly every part of England and Scotland, but the Irish 
records are fewer. As might be expected, the bulk of the 
specimens are obtained in our eastern counties, where, in 
some of the years above-mentioned, large numbers have been 
shot. During the migration of the winter of 1872 many were 
noticed in the neighbourhood of the north of London. 
Range outside tRe British Islands — The Wax-wing is a circum- 
polar bird, and is an inhabitant of high northern latitudes in 
Europe, Asia, and North America. In the temperate portions 
of the latter continent its place is taken by an allied speces, 
the Cedar-bird (. Ampelis cedrontm ), which is smaller, and is 
distinguished by its white under tail-coverts and olive-yellow 
flanks. 
The Wax-wing is found in winter in most of the countries of 
Europe, though of irregular occurrence ; it has not yet been 
found in the Pyrenees or the Spanish peninsula, but has been 
known to reach the south of France, and the northern provinces 
of Italy, as well as of Turkey. At the same time of year it visits 
Central Asia, North China, and the northern island of Japan. 
Its breeding quarters are the pine regions in the north of the 
Old and New Worlds, about the line of the Arctic Circle. It 
has been recorded as nesting in North-eastern Norway, in Lap- 
land, in Finland, and Mr. Seebohm says that he met with it 
during the breeding season in the valleys of the Petchora and 
the Yenesei, Although the species occurs in the interior of 
