316 INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS. 



The Red-Eyed Vireo is one of the most favorite of all 

 the adopted nurses of the Cow-bird, and the remarkable 

 gentleness of its disposition and watchful affection for 

 the safety of its young, or of the foundling confided to 

 its care, amply justifies this selection of a foster parent. 

 The male, indeed, defends his nest, while his mate is 

 sitting, with as much spirit as the king-bird, driving 

 away every intruder, and complaining in a hoarse mew- 

 ing tone when approached by any inquisitive observer. 

 By accident, the eggs were destroyed in a nest of this 

 species in the Botanic Garden, in a sugar-maple about 

 20 feet from the ground. At this time no complaints 

 were heard, and the male sang all day as cheerful as 

 before. In a few days, unwilling to leave the neigh- 

 bourhood, they had made a second nest in a beech at 

 the opposite side of the same premises; but now the 

 male drove away every feathered intruder with the great- 

 est temerity. The young of this species are often hatch- 

 ed in about 13 days, or 24 hours later than the parasitic 

 Troopial ; but for want of room the smaller young are 

 usually stifled or neglected. I have, however, seen in 

 one nest a surviving bird of each kind in a fair way for 

 being reared ; yet, by a singular infatuation, the supposi- 

 titious bird appeared by far the most assiduously attend- 

 ed, and in this case the real young of the species seemed 

 to be treated as puny foundlings. 



In the month of August, the young fed greedily on 

 the small berries of the bitter cornel, and astringent 

 Viburnum dentatum, as well as other kinds. One of these 

 inexperienced birds hopped close round me in an adjoin- 

 ing bush, without any fearful apprehension ; and, as late 

 as the 26th of October, two young birds of the Red-Eye 

 were still lingering in this vicinity, and busily engaged 

 in gleaning subsistence. Eager after flies, about the 

 25th of August, a young bird with hazel instead of red 



