190 BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



of three to five feet from the ground. A characteristic one described 

 by Dr. Brewer was "composed of a singular medley of various 

 materials, among which may be noticed broken fragments of dry 

 leaves, bits of decayed wood and bark, coarse blades of giass, vari- 

 ous vegetable fibres, lichens, fragments of insects, mosses, straws, 

 stems, etc. These are all wrapped round and firmly bound together 

 with strong hempen fibres of vegetables. Witliin this outer envelope 

 in an inner nest, made of the finer stems of grasses and dry 

 needles of the white pine, lirmly interwoven." The height and 

 diameter were each about tluee inches, and the cavity about two 

 inches deep. 



Vireo bellii (Aud.) 



BELL'S VIREO. 

 Popular aynonjrm. Bell's Gn'onlot. 



Viieo hflUi AVD. B. Km. vli,1844,3;!3. pi. 480.— B.vuiu. B. X. Am. I608. :(3T; Cut. X. Am. B. 



1859. Xo. '^46; Review. 18(J«.358.-CoUE8, Key. 1872, 123; Check List 1873. Xo, 131; 'Jd 



ed. 1882. Xo. 183: B. N. AV. 1874. 101; B. Col. Vnl. 1878.526.-B. B. & It. Hist. X. Am. B. 



1.1874,389. pi. 17, flg. 13.— KiDow. Xom. X, Am. B. 1881. Xo. 145. 



Hab. Great Plains of the United States, north to Minnesota, east to Illinois (pralrlo 



districts), south (in winter) to southern Mexico (Tehauntepec). Arizona, in autumn. 



Sp. Char. (Xo. 1,92I!.) Above olive-creen.ljrightost on the rump; tinged anteriorly 

 with ashy: tlie \o\i and sides of head asliy, in faint contrast. A line from nostrils to eye 

 (scarcely beyiMul it), and eyelids vciy pale y- llowish white: lores dusky. Under parts. 

 IncludinB inner winK-coverts. and Lulge of wxng. creamy white: the sides, axillars, and 

 crissum pale yellow, sides of lower neck and of breast (flossed with olivaceous, fuintest 

 on the liingor feathers of the latter. Two rather narrow bands on the wing-coverts, and 

 the outoredgesof innermost secondaries white: the other auills edged with faded oliva- 

 ceous. Inner edges of quills whilisli. Tail feathers brown, edged externally with olive: 

 internally fading into paler brown. Median portion of rump feathers conceali'd with 

 pale yellowish. Hill horn-color above, pale below. Legs plumbeous. "Iris brown." 



"First uuiU spurious: not ciuite half the scH'ond. which is about equal to the eighth; 

 third and tourtli (luiils longest: Ufth scarcely shorter. Tail nearly even, or a little 

 rounded, llie feadiers narrow. 



"Total leiiglli.4.2<>: wing,'2.1S; tall.l.9l>: tarsus, .7.V 



"The iiliovc description is taken from a type specimen received 

 from Mr. Audubon, iiml rei)resents the average spring plumage. 

 Autuniniil skins ,aro rather lirighter, and tlu-re is occasionally an 

 ochraceous tinge on the white of the under parts. 



"This species at first sight appears like a miniature of V. iiilrux, 

 the head being almost exactly similar. The back is, however, much 

 lirighter olive, the sides and crissum deeper yellow. The superciliary 

 light stripe is shorter. The white markings of the wings are want- 

 ing in ii'dnts. The wing, taU, and feet are entirely different in their 

 proportions." (//^^■^ .V. Am. B.) 



