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