CHAPTER IV. 
THE BOHEMIAN WAXWING 
(Boinbijcilia garrula). 
“ Diese, fern im boben Norden 
Meidend ihren Heimatraum, 
Kommen, scbnellbescbwingte Horden, 
‘ Basch daber, als wie ein Traum. 
Wenn auf Land und Meeresborden 
Hocb sicb lagert Winterflaum, 
Scbmuckt ibr Sell warm uns, miidgeworden, 
Nabgereibt, den kablen Baum.” 
Welckee. 
From time immemorial anything out of the ordinary 
course of nature has ever been deemed more or less 
miraculous or wonderful, and for the reason that the 
marvellous commences where comprehension or under¬ 
standing ceases. The populace find it far easier to 
establish a superstition by some expression of their own, 
though unable to analyse the mystery, than to discover a 
sensible and rational explanation of the matter. 
For a long time the arrival of the Waxwing was 
regarded as a matter verging upon the supernatural,—not 
that there was the slightest ground for this belief, except 
that the bird does not visit us regularly every year. As 
its name denotes, it is one of the most exquisite birds we 
have: it is about the size of a Thrush, and beautifully 
marked. The peasantry, however, often give it names 
* 4 o 
