VIREOS. !(;;> 



within the Arctic Circle, aiul in Octoher j(Mirneys Bouth- 

 wanl, rarelv as far as Virginia, and remains in the United 

 States nntil April or ^[ay. 



The Lou^gcrhead Shrike is common in the Southern 

 States and Mississippi Valley, whence it has apparently 

 extended eastward through central New York to Ver- 

 mont and Maine. It nests in these States, but southward 

 to Maryland is known only as a rare migrant — a uni(pie 

 case in distribution. It dilfers from the Northern Shrike 

 in being an inch and a quarter smaller, in the absence of the 

 wavy bars on the breast, which is pure white, and in hav- 

 ing jet-black lores and a narrow black line across the fore- 

 liead at the base of the bill. Its song is creal'y and un- 

 musical, but the song of the Northern Shrike, as de- 

 scribed by Mr. Brewster, is " really pleasing," and '' not 

 unlike that of the Thrasher, but more disconnected and 

 less loud and varied." 



ViREOs. (Family Vireonid^.) 



Vireos are gleaners, and are to be distinguished from 

 other tree-inhabiting, greenish l)irds of the same size by 

 their habit of carefully exploring the under surface of 

 leaves and various nooks and comers in the bark and 

 foliage, while the more active AVarblers are flitting about 

 the terminal twigs and the Flycatchers are swinging out 

 in aerial loops at passing insects. 



They are highly musical little birds, having songs and 

 call-notes which may be quickly recognized once they 

 are known. The nests and eiriiTs of our four summer- 

 resident species are so much alike that they are to be 

 known only when accompanied by their owners. The 

 AVhite-eyed Vireo iidiahits thickets and, as a rule, builds 

 nearer the ground than the arboreal Red-eyed, Yellow- 

 throated, and AVarbling Vireos. The nests are small, 



