192a 



VIREONID^ — THE VIREOS. 389 



eggs of Vi7ro huttoni, found May 8, one foot from the ground, under high 

 trees, suspended from three high stems of weeds, fastened to them, but very 

 loosely put together. The eggs had been incubated. He furnished no fur- 

 ther description of nest or eggs. 



Vireo belli, Aud. 



BELL'S VIREO. 



Virco belli, Aud. Birds Am. VII, 1844, 33.3, pi. ccccl.xxxv (Missouri River). — Cassin, 

 Pr. A. N. Sc. Phila. 1851, 150. — Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 337; Rev. 358.— 

 ScLATER, Catal. 1861, 42, no. 258. — Bon. Coiisp. 1850, 330. — Cooper, Oni. Cal. I, 

 1870, 123. 



Sp. Char. (No. 1,926.) Above olive-green, brightest on the rump; tinged anteriorly 

 with ashy ; the top and sides of head ashy, in faint contrast. A line from nostrils to eye 

 (scarcely beyond it), and eyelids very pale yellowish-white; lores dusky. Under parts, 

 including inner wing-coverts, and 

 edge of wing, creamy-white ; the 

 sides, axillars, and crissum pale yel- 

 low (sides of lower neck and of 

 breast glossed with olivaceous, faint- 

 est on the longer feathers of the lat- 

 ter. Two rather narrow bands on the 

 wing-coverts, and the outer edges of 

 innermost secondaries white ; the 



other quills edged with faded olivaceous. Inner edges of quills whitish. Tail-feathers 

 brown, edged externally with olive; internally fading into paler brown. Median portion 

 of rump feathers concealed with pale yellowish. Bill horn-color above, pale below. Legs 

 plumbeous. " Iris brown." 



First quill spurious; not quite half the second, Avhicli is about equal to the eighth ; third 

 and fourth quills longest ; fifth scarcely shorter. Tail nearly even, or a little rounded, the 

 feathers narrow. 



Total length, 4.20; wing, 2.18; tail, 1.90; tarsus, .75. 



Hab. United States, from Missouri River to base of Rocky Mountains ; Tehuantepec, 

 Mexico (October, Sumichrast) ; Missouri (Hoy) ; Iowa (Allen) ; Southeast Illinois 

 (Ridgway). 



The above description is taken from a type specimen received from Mr. 

 Audubon, and represents the average spring plumage. Autunnial skins are 

 rather brighter, and there is occasionally an ochraceous tinge on the white 

 of the under parts. 



This species at first sight appears like a miniature of V. gilvvs, the head 

 being almost exactly similar. The back is, however, much brigliter olive, 

 the sides and crissum deeper yellow. The superciliary light stripe is shorter. 

 The white markings of the wings are wanting in gilvus. The wing, tail, and 

 feet are entirely different in their proportions. 



Habits. This species was first procured by Mr. Audubon's party in the 

 excursion to the Yellowstone Eiver, in what is now known as Dakota Ter- 



