The Warbling Vireo {Vireosyiva gUva) 



By W. Leon Dawson 



Description. — Adult: Above, dull ashy, almost fucous, with the palest pos- 

 sible tinge of olive-green, the latter color brightest on interscapulars, rump, and 

 edgings of secondaries and rectrices ; wings and tail fuscous, the primaries with 

 faint whitish edgings ; no wing-bars : first primary spurious, — only about a third 

 as long as the others; point of wing formed by third, fourth and fifth j^rimaries; 

 second shorter than sixth ; below white with slight tinges on sides, — bufify on 

 sides of head and neck, olive-fviscous on sides of breast, sulphur-yellow on sides 

 of belly and flanks, and sometimes vaguely on breast ; lores and space about 

 eye whitish, enclosing obscure, dusky line through eye; bill dusky above, lighter 

 below; feet blackish. Length, .rOO-6.00 (127.-152.4); wing, 2.91 (73.9); tail, 

 1.94 (49.3);-bill from nostril, .30 (7.6). 



Recognition Marks. — Warbler size : general absence of jwsitive character- 

 istics, — altogether the plainest-colored bird of the American avifauna. 



Xest. — a pensile pouch of bark-strips, grasses, vegetable fibers, and trash, 

 carefully lined with plant-down ; hung usually from fork of small limb, at any 

 height. Eggs, 3 or 4, white, sparingly and distinctly dotted or spotted, or, 

 rarely, blotched with black umber, or reddish brown, chiefl}' at the larger end. 

 Av. size, .75 X .55 (19. x 139). 



General Range. — North America, in general, from the fur countries to 

 Oaxaca, Mexico. Breeds throughout the greater part of its range. 



Boldly quitting the woodland retreats, so dear to all the other vireos, this 

 little warbler makes his home in the long rows of maples and elms which 

 line the streets of village and town, or lead the way to country residences. 

 Because he is clad in Quaker gray there is little need for the singer to show 

 himself, so he remains for the most part concealed in the dense foliage, but 

 he opens here for the passer-by a cool fountain of song, which is doubly 

 refreshing for its contrast with the dusty turmoil of the street below. Unlike 

 the disconnected fragments which the red-eye furnishes, the song of tlie warb- 

 ling vireo is gushing and continuous, a rapid excursion o\er pleasant hills and 

 valleys. The notes are flute-like, tender, and melodious, having, as Chapman 

 says, "a singular alto undertone," All hours of the day are recognized as appro- 

 priate to melody, and the song-period lasts from the time of the bird's arrival 

 late in April until its departure in September, with only a brief hiatus in July. 



In sharp contrast with the lieautiful canzonettes which this bird showers 

 down from the tree-tops, come the harsh, wren-like scolding notes, which it 

 often delivers while searching through the bushes, and especiallv if it comes 

 across a lurking tabby-cat. 



The warbling vireo's cradle is swung where its after life is spent — in the 

 depths of a shade tree. The structure is a little the neatest of them all, being 

 closely woven of grasses and fine bark-strips, and felted more or less compactlv 



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