11)0 BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



of three to five feet from the ground. A characteristic one described 

 by Dr. Brewer was "composed of a singular medley of various 

 materials, among which may be noticed broken fragments of dry 

 leaves, bits of decayed wood and bark, coarse blades of grass, vari- 

 ous vegetable fibres, lichens, fragments of insects, mosses, straws, 

 stems, etc. These are all wrapped round and firmly bound together 

 with strong hempen fibres of vegetables. Within this outer envelope 

 in an inner nest, made of the finer stems of grasses and dry 

 needles of the white pine, firmly interwoven." The height and 

 diameter were each about three inches, and the cavity about two 

 inches deep. 



Vireo belli! (And.) 



BELL'S VIREO. 

 Popular synon/.n. Bell's Greenlet. 



Vireo bellii AUD. B. Am. vii, 1844, 333. pi. 485. BATED. B. N. Am. 1858, 337; Cat. N. Am. B. 

 1859, No. 246; Keview, 1866, 358. COUES, Key, 1872, 123; Check List, 1873, No. 131; 2d 

 ed. 1882, No. 183; B. N. W. 1874, 101; B. Col. Val. 1878, 526.-B. B. & E. Hist. N. Am. B. 

 i, 1874, 389, pi. 17, fig. 13. KIDGW. Norn. N. Am. B. 1881, No. 145. 



HAB. Groat Plains of the United States, north to Minnesota, east to Illinois (prairie 

 districts), south (in winter) to southern Mexico (Tehauntepec). Arizona, in autumn. 



SP. CHAE. (No. 1,926.) Above olive-green, brightest on the rump; tinged anteriorly 

 with ashy; the top and sides of head ashy, in faint contrast. A line from nostrils to eye 

 (scarcely beyond it), and eyelids very pale yellowish white; lores dusky. Under parts, 

 including inner wing-coverts, and edge of wing, creamy white; the sides, axillars, and 

 crissum pale yellow, sides of lower neck and of breast glossed with olivaceous, faintest 

 on the longer feathers of the latter. Two rather narrow bands on the wing-coverts, and 

 the outer edges of innermost secondaries white; the other quills edged with faded oliva- 

 ceous. Inner edges of quills whitish. Tail feathers brown, edged externally with olive; 

 internally fading into paler brown, Median portion of rump feathers concealed with 

 pale yelloAvieh. Bill horn-color above, pale below. Legs plumbeous. "Iris brown." 



"First quill spurious; not quite half the second, which is about equal to the eighth; 

 third and fourth quills longest; fifth scarcely shorter. Tail nearly even, or a little 

 rounded, the feathers narrow. 



"Total length, 4.20; wing,2.18; tail. 1.90; tarsus, .75. 



"The above description is taken from a type specimen received 

 from Mr. Audubon, and represents the average spring plumage. 

 Autumnal skins 'are rather brighter, and there is occasionally an 

 ochraceous tinge on the white of the under parts. 



"This species at first sight appears like a miniature of V. gilvus, 

 the head being almost exactly similar. The back is, however, much 

 brighter olive, the sides and crissum deeper yellow. The superciliary 

 light stripe is shorter. The white markings of the wings are want- 

 ing in c/ilvus. The wing, tail, and feet are entirely different in their 

 proportions." (Hist. N. Am. B.) 



