The Bohemian Waxwing. 
This magnificent bird is a tolerably common 
winter visitor to this locality, in fact it is a 
characteristic bird of the northwest. Inhabit- 
ing as it does the northern part of both hemis- 
pheres, straying in this country south to the 
northern tier of states in winter only, compar- 
atively few have an opportunity of observing 
its habits, hence a few notes may be of in- 
terest. 
As far as my experience goes I find that 
these birds visit this locality every two years. 
I remember seeing them in ’8:1 ; in ’85 they 
were quite common, in '87 they were found, 
but very few ; last year not a solitary bird 
■ could be found, while this year they are more 
i numerous than ever before. 
In ’87 the first were seen the latter part of 
February, this year they put in an appearance 
on January 17, when a flock of about fifty 
were seen, since then they have been seen al- 
most daily up to date (February 20). 
All seen this year so far have been in the 
city; there are probably about four flocks of 
fifty each in different parts of the town. Occa- 
sionally they all join in one large flock and 
when they light on a mountain ash tree, it is 
surprising to see how the berries disappear. 
While thus engaged they are very tame, allow- 
ing a person to walk directly under the tree 
without taking alarm. While in search of food 
they are very restless, flying about from one 
place to another, remaining but a moment at 
each place till a suitable ground is found. 
After gorging themselves with mountain ash 
berries which form their principal article of 
diet, they fly to a neighboring tree to enjoy 
the effects of their meal. The tree selected is 
generally one tall enough to allow the sun’s 
rays to reach them over the house tops. Here 
they sit for hours if undisturbed, sunning them- 
selves and digesting their food; under such a 
tree the ground will be found strewn with the 
skins of the berries, they swallowing the pulp 
and seeds ; occasionally one will fly down to 
the roof of a house and take several large 
mouthfuls of snow; the berries seem to make 
them thirsty, as 1 have seen over half the flock 
eating snow at once, after feeding on the ber- 
ries. They are generally found feeding early 
in the morning and again late in the afternoon; 
where they spend the night I have never been 
able to ascertain, but they are always seen to 
depart in the same direction as evening draws 
near. 
Their manner of flight is peculiar; instead 
of moving in a compact body as most gregaui- 
ous birds do, they string out, only two or three 
birds being abreast, giving the flock a much 
larger appearance than it really is. They are 
a long bodied bird and together with their 
quite long tail and neck, they present an odd 
appearance in flight ; there is also a peculiar 
flutter of the wings, something characteristic 
of this species. 
Quite often they are found in a, frolicsome 
mood; a flock will pitch out of a tree top and 
with astonishing rapidity skim along near the 
ground, dart up over a. house, turn a sharp 
corner like a flash and presently return to the 
same tree as meek as can be. Sometimes this 
feat is performed by a single bird and can hard- 
ly he followed by the sight.. When acting thus 
their flight, most resembles the nervous flying 
of the Chimney Swift, but much more rapid. 
A Peregrine Falcon would, I believe, be taxed 
to his utmost to overtake a Waxwing. 
In looking over a series of these birds many 
curious forms are found. One has the outer 
quill of the tail only about one-fourtli as wide 
as its fellows, a regular “spurious quill’’ in 
fact. Another has the yellow band on the 
tail missing, with the exception of a few fine 
yellow threads in some of the feathers; it had 
surely not been worn off as the tail was per- 
fectly formed. Others have the yellow mottled 
with black and still others have the color 
bright and pure on one side of the tail and 
either missing or pale on the other. 
High plumaged birds have the red “wax” 
on the tip of the tail as well as the wings, they 
are also said to have it occasionally on the end 
of the crest but 1 have never found one ; they 
are generally more highly developed in the 
male. 
These red appendages do not necessarily de- 
note maturity, for on Oct. 9, 1888, I took a 
young bird in streaked plumage with the 
“wax” well developed. Taking this bird at 
that time of the year 1 consider of unusual oc- 
currence and must have been raised in the 
vicinity as it was very young, pin feathers 
showing in various places. It was taken in 
the city, in company with a flock of young 
Cedar birds. Possibly there may have been more 
of i/arrulus among them, but I saw only this 
one. 
The Waxwings generally leave us about the j 
middle of March, but they have been known 
to linger as late as the latter part of April. 
Geo. G. Cantwell. 
Minneapolis, Minn., Feb., 1889. 
V ■- H I OO V.S t -4 A 
1472. Bohemian Waxwings. By Dean W. Park. 
1886, P . 34. Ran& Notes N at. Hi®, XII 
Ibid., No. 5, May, 
