VIREONID^ — THE VIREOS. 365 



are in striking contrast to the apparent indifference or unconsciousness of the 

 little vocalist who, wliile thus delighting the ear of the listener, seems to be 

 all the wliile cliieliy bent on procuring its daily supply of food, wliich it 

 pursues with unabated ardor. 



This Vireo builds the neat pensile nest of its race, suspending it from the 

 foriv of t\\-o or more t\\-igs of a tbrest tree, at various heights of from five to 

 fifty feet from the ground. It is cup-like in shape, and always dependent 

 from small twigs, around which its upper edges are firmly bound. Exter- 

 nally it is woven of various materials, fine strips of bark, the liempen fibres 

 of vegetables, and webs of spiders and of various caterpillars. These are 

 compactly pressed and woven, and, as some suppose, agglutinated by the 

 saliva of the builder. Sometimes the unmanageable materials give to the 

 outside of the ne.st a I'ude and unfinished appearance, at others they are 

 evenly and smoothly wrought. Tiiey are very strong, uninjured by tlie 

 storms of winter, and are often made use of by other birds, by mice, and 

 even by the same bird a second season. 



A nest of this bird (S. T. Coll., 3,353) was obtained at the Cumberland 

 House by Mr. Keunicott. It is pensile, like all others, but is composed 

 almost exclusively of pine-needles, — a dry and liard material, difficult of 

 management in making such a nest. With these are intermingled a few bits 

 of moss, fine strips of bark, and flax-like vegetable fibres. Within this rude 

 basket is an inner nest, made up of fine dry grasses, strips of bark, and pine 

 leaves. The external fabric is loosely put together, — an unusual feature, — 

 but the inner portion, in the firmness and strength with which it was made, 

 is in remarkable contrast. 



The lied-eyed Vireo's nest is often cliosen by the (.'owbird for the deposi- 

 tion of her parasitic eggs, and these foster -jxirents ai'e singularly devoted in 

 the care of their alien guests, whom they tenderly nurture, even to the neg- 

 lect of their own offspring. In one instance three eggs of a Cowljird were 

 deposited in the nest of the Vireo before any of her own, and, without laying 

 any, the female Vireo proceeded to sit upon and hatcli the intruders. . lu 

 another case, where two of the Vireo's liad been laid, two Cowbird's eggs 

 were added. The Vireo stopped laying, and proceeded to incubate. In each 

 instance the female Vireo seemed to forego her own natural aspirations, and 

 at once conform to the new situation. 



The male Vireo often evinces great courage and spirit in the defence of his 

 nest, when the young are liatched driving away intruders, and even flying in 

 the face of a man who approaches too near. 



Mr. Nuttall states that tlie young of the Eed-eyed Vireo feed eagerly upon 

 the berries of the cornel and the Vihurnum dentatvm, and other shrub-s. A 

 young bird kept in confinement soon became very gentle, and readily ate flies 

 and grasshoppers from his hand, and viburnum berries. A tame Kingbird 

 in the same room was very jealous of and tyrannized over him, so as to 

 compel liinr to seek protection from his captor. Tlie Vireos, like Flycatchers, 



