364 



THE CASSIN VIREO. 



These \'ireos roam tlie lialf-fipen woods at all levels, like hapj)}- 

 school children; and their childish curiosity is as little to be resented. If 

 one hears a bird singing in the distance, he need only sit down and wait. 

 Curiosity will get the better of the bird, and under [)retense of chasing 



carelessh' 



ni>w 



and 



then, by way of 

 is stifled, and 

 as you do when \ou have overtaken 

 nesome street, all liands and feet with 



At close range the smig 



bugs it will edge over, singing 

 covering the inquisiti\e intent 

 you feel for the ensuing moments 

 and passed a bevy of ladies on a 1' 

 a most atrocious 

 swagger. Inspec- 

 tion done, the 

 bird suddenly re- 

 sumes the dis- 

 carded melody, 

 and you no 

 longer have to 

 "look i)leasant." 



Like most \'i- 

 reos, Cassin sings 

 as he works ; and. 

 as he works a 

 good deal of the 

 time, albeit in 

 leisurely fashion, 

 he sings in tin\- 

 phrases, separated 

 b\' unembarrassed 

 inter\-als of si- 

 lence, a sort of 

 soliloquizing com- 

 mentary on life, 

 very pleasant to 

 the ear. — Jl'cc cc- 

 tsizveeoo - fson 



psooi - pctciver - brimful. 



ptir - sczvtrs - piti- 



li'cc - surer - pisoiior. But our schnolbov does not fully express himself in 

 music so staid and delicate. He has at command a rasping, nerve-grating 

 war-cry, possibly intendetl by Nature as a defense against cats, but used, 

 as matter of fact, when the bird is in particularlv fine spirits. The note 

 in question may perha])s be fill}" likened to the violent shaking of a ]iepper- 



Ta!:cn near I'acona. 



Photo by Dawson and Booties. 



