THE RED-EYED VIREO. 251 



from early morning through the burning heat of noon, 

 and on into the sombre shadows of the coming night, 

 aye throughout the season from May to September, 

 as this unpretending little summer resident. To quote 

 Mr. Burroughs, "Rain or shine, before noon or after, 

 in the deep forest or in the village grove — when it is too 

 hot for the Thrushes or too cold and wdndy for the War- 

 blers — it is never out of time or place for this little minstrel 

 to indulge his cheerful strain." This song is in mellow, 

 whistling tones, varied with rising and falling inflections, 

 and may be represented by the syllables, virio-virio-viriee- 

 viria-viree, etc., suggesting the origin of the bird's name. 

 Some one has made it especially articulate in the following 

 lines: 



" Pretty green worm, where are you ? 



Dusky-winged moth, how fare you, 



When wind and rain are in the trees ? 

 Cheeryo, cheerebly, chee, 



Shadow and sunshine are one to me. 



" Mosquito and gnat, beware you. 

 Saucy chipmunk, how dare you 

 Climb to my nest in the maple-tree ? 



And dig up the corn 



At noon and at morn ? 



Cheereyo, cheerebly, chee." 



Its small cup-shaped, pensile nest, hung to the twigs of a 

 bush or tree, late in May or early in June, an3'where from 

 several to twenty feet from the ground, located in any part 

 of the forest, but seldom elsewhere, is, perhaps, not equal 

 as a work of art to that of some other Vireos. It is com- 

 posed, outside, of shreds of thin fibrous bark, of a light 

 color, and ornamented with vegetable down, the silk of 

 cocoons, bits of wasps' nests, etc.; inside, of a few fine rootlets. 



