of the United States . 
o9 
Gregarious ; very sociable ; feed on insects and berries. 
Build without much art. Voice weak and but little modulated. 
Form a singular but well defined link between Coraces and 
Chelidones. 
12. BOMB YC ILL A. 
Ampelis , L. Gm. Lath. Tardus, Briss. Corvus , 111. 
Bombycivora , {subgen.) Cuv . Temm. Bombyciphora , Meyer • 
Bomb .cilia, Vieill. Ranz. Nob. obs. 
Bill trigonal at base, somewhat compressed towards the 
tip, notched : upper mandible with an obtuse ridge, curved 
and acute at tip ; lower hardly shorter, compressed, somewhat 
swelling out at base, recurved, notched, and rather acute at 
tip ; nostrils basal, oval, patulous, covered by small incumbent 
setaceous feathers : tongue cartilaginous, broad at tip, lace- 
rated. Tarsus almost equal to the middle toe, which is 
united at base to the shorter outer toe ; inner free, shorter 
than the outer, almost equal to the hind toe, but more 
slender ; nails acute, middle one almost equal to the hind 
nail, but more slender at tip. Wings with spurious feather 
extremely short ; first and second primaries longest. 
Female similar to the male, crested; adults with small 
red oblong appendages, like red sealing wax, at the tip of the 
secondaries. Plumage of a very fine silky and glossy tex- 
ture, lying extremely close. Moult annually. 
Live in numerous flocks. Wandering: perform great 
journeys; not shy, simple, and easily tamed. Feed chiefly 
on juicy fruits. Build in trees ; lay twice a year ; eggs 
about 5. 
Composed of but two species, one American, and the 
other European and Asiatic. 
66. Bombycilla carolinensis, Briss. Drab ; chin, frontlet and 
line over the eye, black ; belly yellow ; vent white ; wings 
and tail blackish, the latter tipped with yellow. 
Cedar Bird, Ampelis american a, Wils. Am. Orn. i. p. 107. 
pi. 7. fig. i. Bombycilla cedronm , Vieill . 
