WARBLING VIREO. 309 



with a few small* spots of blackish brown. In the Middle 

 States they often raise 2 broods in the season, generally 

 make choice of thorny thickets for their nest, and show 

 much concern when it is approached, descending within 

 a few feet of the intruder, looking down, and hoarsely 

 mewing and scolding with great earnestness. This pet- 

 ulant display of irritability is also continued when the 

 brood are approached, though as large and as active 

 as their vigilant and vociferous parents. In the Middle 

 States this is a common species, but in Massachusetts 

 rather rare. Its food, like the rest of the Vireos, is in- 

 sects and various kinds of berries ; for the former of 

 which it hunts with great agility, attention, and industry. 



The White-Eye is 5^ inches long, and 7 in extent ; wings 

 and tail dusky brown, edged with olive-green, the latter forked. 

 Bill, legs, and feet light bluish-grey ; the sides of the neck incline 

 to greyish-ash. Female and young scarcely distinguishable in plu- 

 mao;e from the male. 



WARBLING VIREO. 



{Vireo gilvus, Bonap. Muscicapa melodia, Wilson, v. p. 85. pi. 42. 

 fig. 2. M. gilva, ViEiLL.) 



Sp. Charact. — Pale green olive; head and neck dilute ash-color j 

 beneath, and line over the eye, whitish ; wings pale dusky 

 brown, without bands ; irids brown ; 1st and 5th primaries about 

 equal ; tail extending more than an inch beyond the closed wings. 



This sweetest and most constant warbler of the for- 

 est, extending his northern migrations probably to the 

 confines of Canada, arrives from tropical America in 

 Pennsylvania about the middle of April, and reaches this 

 part of New England early in May. His livery, like 

 that of the Nightingale, is plain and unadorned ; but 

 the sweet melody of his voice, surpassing, as far as na- 

 ture usually surpasses art, the tenderest airs of the flute, 



