VIREONID.E — THE VIREOS. 3g5 



Vireo noveboracensis, Bonap. 



WHITE-EYED VIREO. 



Muscicapa noveboracensis, Gm. Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 947 {Green Flycntcher, Pexnant, Arctic 

 Zool. II, 389). Vireo novcb. Box. Obs. Wilson, 1825. — AuD. ; Ca.ssix. — Baird, 

 Birds N. Am. 1858, 338 ; Rev. 354. — Max. — Sclater, P. Z. S. 1857, 204 (Xalapa) ; 

 228 (Vera Cruz). — Sclater & Salvix, Ibis. II, 1860, 274 (Coban, Guat.). — Joxe.s, 

 Nat. Bermuda, 1859, 71 (resident). — Cab. Jour. Ill, 469 (Cuba). — Gundlach, Cab. 

 Jour. 1861, 324 (Cuba ; rare). — Samuels, Birds N. Eng. 275. Virco musicus, Vieill. 

 Ois. Am. Sept. I, 1807, 83, pi. liii. Muscicapii canfMrix, WiLS. II, 1810, 266, pi. xviii. 



Figures : AuD. Orn. Biog. jil. Ixiii. — Ib. Birds N. A. IV, pi. ccxl. 



Sp. Char. (No. 10,103 ^, Illinois.) First primary about half the length of second, 

 ■which is longer than .secondaries, and about equal to the eighth; the fourth longest; third 

 and fifth little shorter. . 



Above quite olive-green ; sides of neck, and a gloss on its upper surface, ashy. The 

 middle concealed portion of feathers of lower back and rump pale sulphur-yellowish. 

 Beneath white; the chin and lower cheeks with a grayish tinge; the sides of breast and 

 1)ody, with axillars and base of crissum (more faintly), bright yellow; the inner wing- 

 coverts and rest of crissum much paler, almost white. A broad yellow line from nostrils 

 to and continuous with a yellow ring round the eye, which is encircled exteriorlj"- by 

 olivaceous ; a dusky loral, but no post-ocular spot. Wings with two covert-bands and 

 innermost secondaries extei-nally, broadly yellowish-white; rest of quills edged externalh^ 

 with olive, except the two outer and tips of other primaries, which are grayish. Rectrices 

 edged externally with olive, except outermost, which is bordered by grayish. All the long 

 quills bordered internally by Avhitish, Bill blue-black, paler on the edges; legs dark 

 plumbeous. Iris white. Total length, 4.90 ; wing, 2.40 ; tail, 2.20. 



Hab. United States, west to base of Rocky Mountains; south to Guatemala; Bogota? 

 Very rare in Cuba. Abundant and resident in the Bermudas. 



Specimens vary .slightly in a greater amount of ashy on the head, and less 

 brilliancy of the yellow of head and sides. Sometimes there is a decided 

 ashy shade in the white of throat and jugulum, which again has a very faint 

 tinge of yellowish. 



Habits. The Wliite-ej^ed Yireo is one of the most common and one of 

 the most Avidely diffused of its genus in all parts of the United States east 

 of the Eocky Mountains. It apparently breeds in all parts of the Union, 

 from Texas and the Indian Territory on the southwest to Iowa and Wiscon- 

 sin, and as far to the northeast as Massachusetts. In the last-named State 

 it becomes exceedingly rare, and beyond it is apparently not found, none 

 having been met with either by Messrs. Verrill or Boardmaii in any part of 

 ]\Iaine. In Western ]\Iassachusetts it was not found by ]\Ir. Allen, though 

 it occurs in the eastern part, along the coast. ]\Ir. Dresser found it common 

 in Western Texas, many remaining there to breed, and Dr. Woodhouse also 

 found it abundant in Texas, New Mexico, and the Indian Territory, where 

 it frequented the thickets bordering on the streams. It breeds abundantly 

 in the Xorthwest States of Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin. It also breeds in 

 the islands of Bermuda. 

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