no 



BIRDS OF AMERICA 



though this injunction seems a much closer ren- 

 dition of the Chewink's phrase. " Who are yoii, 

 now ?" the bird demanded of Mr. Torrey ; and to 

 others he has shouted : " Get out ! Beat it !" al- 



Cuurte.y ui Outing Pub. Co. 

 WHITE-EYED VIREO FEEDING YOUNG 



most as jjlainly and peremptorily as a New 

 York policeman says " (iwan " to the corner- 

 loafer. 



Not even the loquacious Yellow-breasted Chat 



has so sharp a tongue. Indeed, the Chat is, after 

 all, essentially a clown and a nonsense-vendor, 

 while the White-eye is tart and severe and de- 

 cidedly inclined to be expostulatory and dicta- 

 torial. As Mr. Torrey says: "This Vireo is 

 the very prince of stump-speakers — fluent, loud, 

 and sarcastic — and is well called the politician, 

 though it is a disappointment to learn that the 

 title was given him not for his eloquence, but 

 on account of his habit of putting pieces of news- 

 paper into his nest." 



Two regional varieties of the White-eyed 

 Vireo are found within the boundaries of the 

 United States. The Key West, or Maynard's, 

 Vireo ( Vireo grisciis inaynardi) is larger, the 

 upper parts average grayer, sometimes with more 

 gray than greenish-olive, and the yellow of sides 

 and flanks averages much paler, sometimes con- 

 sisting of a mere tinge or wash of pale olive- 

 yellow ; it is found in the Florida Keys and the 

 coast district of Florida. The Small White- 

 eyed Vireo ( Vireo griscus micriis) is similar in 

 color to the Key W'est Vireo but is even smaller 

 than the White-eyed Vireo: it is found in the 

 Rio < irande valley of Texas and northeastern 

 Mexico. 



BELL'S VIREO 

 Vireo belli belli Audubon 



Other Name. — Bell's Greenlet. 



General Description. — Length. 5'4 inches. Upper 

 parts, olive-green ; under parts, whitish. 



Color. — Adults : Crown and hindneck. dull grayish- 

 brown, sometimes tinged with olive; rest of upper 

 parts, dull olive-green or greenish-olive; v/ings and 

 tail, deep grayish-brown with paler edgings ; middle 

 and greater wing-coverts (except the innermost) tipped 

 with dull whitish, forming two bands ; a narrow eye- 

 ring and a streak above the lores of dull white; ear 

 and under eye regions, pale grayish^brown or brownish- 

 gray ; a dusky mark at front corner of eyes; central 

 under parts dull white tinged with buffy-yellowish, 

 especially on chest, the sides and flanks light olive- 

 yellow; under tail-coverts, pale sulphur-yellow; under 

 wing-coverts yellowish-white; bill, horn-brown; iris, 

 brown ; legs and feet, bluish-gray. Young : Much like 



umber 6.,3 



adults, but crown and hindneck. soft drab; back and 

 shoulders, dark drab ; under parts nearly pure white 

 with sides, flanks, and under tail-coverts tinged with 

 sulphur-yellow, and wing-bands more distinct. 



Nest and Eggs. — Nest : A neat, smoothly built 

 structure of bark strips, plant fibers, and leaves and 

 lined with fine grass, down, rootlets, and hair; sus- 

 pended by brim from forks of small trees or bushes. 

 Encs: Commonly 4, though rarely sets of 8 are 

 found ; white, thinly spotted with brown around large 

 end. 



Distribution. — Prairie districts of Mississippi valley, 

 from South Dakota, southern Minnesota, Iowa, north- 

 ern Illinois, and northwestern Indiana southward to 

 eastern Texas and Tamaulipas ; in winter southward 

 over greater part of Mexico and Guatemala; accidental 

 in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. 



In its normal range, which is very wide. Bell's 

 Vireo is quite common. It seems to be especially 

 fond of dense patches of brush and briers, and 

 hedge-fences. In its habits, and especially in its 



song, it resembles the W^hite-eyed Vireo inore 

 than anv other member of its family. Dr. Coues 

 thought that some of its notes were like those of 

 the Bluebird in the spring, though more hurriedly 



