The Birds' Calendar 



where to put the chat, and pending the deter- 

 mination of its status it is regarded as a warbler. 

 The next two species introduce us to another 

 family — the vireo or greenlet family, peculiar 

 to America, where there are about sixty well- 

 defmed species, although North America con- 

 tains only sixteen of them. They are small 

 insectivorous birds, much like the warblers in 

 general habits, and the grounds of their special 

 grouping do not appeal to the field ornitholo- 

 gist. The name is suggested from the prevail- 

 ing greenish-olive tint, at least of the upper 

 side of the bird, the lower side being white, or 

 shaded with olive or yellow. Plainly colored 

 as a class, the bright song of several of the 

 species makes them quite as attractive as many 

 of the warblers. I cannot forbear to quote the 

 appreciative words of Mr. Elliott Coues in his 

 *' Key to North American Birds," in reference 

 to this family. He says, '' Next after the war- 

 blers the greenlets are the most delightful of 

 our forest birds, though their charms address 

 the ear and not the eye. Clad in simple tints 

 that harmonize with the verdure, these gentle 

 songsters warble their lays unseen, while the 

 foliage itself seems stirred to music. In the 

 quaint and curious ditty of the white-eye — in 

 162 



