518 
ECONOMIC RELATIONS OF OUR BIRDS. 
Paihily AMPELIDJ]: Waxwings. 
Fig 130. 
Cedar ‘Waxwing {Ampelis cedrorum). From Tenney’s Zoolo^. 
67 . Ampelis GARRULUS, linn. BOHEMIAN WAXWINO. Group II. CLASS a. 
An irregnlar winter resident, often appearing in large flocks. 
Food: Berries of the mountain ash, the hawthorn and the ivy; it also feeds on 
insects, catching them on the wing as dexterously as a Flycatcher (Brewer). 
Juniper berries (Samuels). Chiefly insects and berries (Cooper). Juniper berries 
(E. W. Nelson). 
68. Ampelis cedrorum (Vieill.), Bd. CEDAR WAXWING; CHERRY BIRD. 
Group I. Class b. 
The Cedar Bird, like the last species, leads a wandering life, but unlike that 
bird, it is a common summer resident. It is also one of the earliest birds that 
reaches us in the spring, sometimes arriving in February. As yet, with us, it is 
confined principally to wooded districts until after the breeding season, but it 
does occasionally nest in orchards and villages. Late in July or early in August 
they unite in small squads, composed of two or three families, and rove here 
and there about the country. It is an exceedingly hardy and voracious bird, and 
for this reason has become adapted to a wide range of food. During the spiing 
and early summer they are said to feed almost exclusively upon insects, and my 
own notes prove that during the last of July and August they feed to a consid¬ 
erable extent upon them. They are dexterous fly-catchers, and wdien in the 
woods they labor in a field almost peculiar to themselves. There they often sta¬ 
tion themselves on the topmost branches of some dead tree-top which commands 
a view above the forest, and there watch hoiti-s together for insects, every few 
minutes beating off and up into the air to secure the winged forms that are pass¬ 
ing above them. On the borders of woods they often beat out into the fields, 
six or more rods, for passing insects. Besides being fly-catchers, they search 
much among the foliage of trees for larvae of various kinds. 
Notwithstanding the many times this handsome bird lias been sentenced to 
extirpation because it is especially fond of cherries, the justice or injustice of 
such decisions yet remain to be established. And this leads me to suggest that 
it may yet be found advisable for farmers to plant cherry trees for the express 
purpose of attracting birds about their premises. Many of our Western farm- 
L-s are not only scrupulously careful to cut down every tree that may be grow- 
