W'hltC-Kyed \^rC() d'irco nozrboraccnsis) 

 I'.y j. A. Wlicalon 



Description. — .Unit: Aboxc l)ii^,'lit <)li\f-|^ria'n. tlullcr on cervix; brighter 

 on forehead ami runii); wings aiul tail dusky, with bright edgings of olive-green; 

 two yellowish white bars forniet! by tij)s of middle and greater coverts; spurious 

 quill nearly half as long as second jjriniary ; second shorter than sixth; point of 

 wing formed by third, fourth and fifth; below white or sordid; sides and flanks 

 wasiied with bright yellow ; lores and a ring around eye bright yellow ; bill and 

 feet dark; iris white. — hazel in young. Sj)ecimens differ chiefly in the yellowness 

 or sordidness of under parts. Length 4.50-5.25 ( 114.3-133.3) ; wing 2.45 (62.2) ; 

 tail 1.92 (48.8) ; bill from nostril .28 (7.1). 



Recognition .Marks. — Warbler size; yellow lores and eye-rings and yellow 

 sides; yelk)wish white wing-l)ars, as distinct from / '. gih'us, which it nearest 

 resembles in point of size ; white irises- 



Xest, of usual \ ireo construction, susjjended from forked twigs, thrCe or 

 four feet high in underbrush or thickets. I'-gus, 3 or 4 white, dotted sparingly 

 with reddish brown or dark i)urple. Av. size, .76 x .56 ( 19.3 x 14.2 j. 



General Range. — Eastern United States west to the Rocky Mountains, 

 north to southern New England and Minnesota ; south in winter from I'Morida to 

 Guatemala and Honduras. Breeds from Florida and the Cjulf States northward. 



The manners of this "well-connected" bird have evidently suffered through 

 close association with that "prince of mountebanks," the Yellow-breasted Chat. 

 Like the larger mime the Vireo frequents brushy ravines and thickets at the 

 edge of the woods, where he prowls and pries and practices all the tricks of 

 the lightning change artist, and is ready at any time to join his voice in a volley 

 of abuse levelled at the chance intruder. If you are not apprised of his presence 

 by a sharp click heard in the depths of the thicket, the feathered farceur will 

 mount a nodding wand and throw the succession of vocal somersaults which he 

 calls his song. Tup to li'cc-o, chipiti burtuck, comes with surprising energy and 

 distinctness from so small a throat and you are ready to follow at once upon 

 the chase to which the wary bird invites you. 



Mimicry is the White-eye's specialty. He follows it not only from a desire 

 to be tuneful Init from siiecr love of mischief. Once, in Lawrence County, we 

 heard a remarkable succession of sounds coming we knew not whence. The 

 ravine was full of birds and we surmised Chat and Catbird and Mockingbird, 

 until we came at last upon the center of attraction. .\ White-eyed X'ireo was 

 hopping to and fro upon a willow branch and singing vociferously while birds 

 of half a dozen other species were ranged about him giving rapt attention, — 

 among them a jealous Catbird, who listened with bill agape and drooping wings. 

 The Punchinello paused froni time to time to think up new coinbinations while 

 the audience shifted uneasily. Then he would break out with a new production, 

 a iuml)le of three or four phrases from different artists, an<l this he would repeat 



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