VIREONID^ — THE VIREOS. 



393 



there were three eggs of the Vireo, and one of a Molothrus (ohscurus ?). The 

 ibrnier were of a bright crystalline whiteness, marked with very minute and 

 hardly discernible spots of red, and measure .69 by .56 of an inch. The 

 egg of the Molothrus, except in its much smaller size, is hardly distin- 

 guishable from those of the common M. pecoris, and measures .75 by .56 of 

 an inch. 



In the other nest were also three eggs of the Vireo. They correspond in 

 size, but are much more distinctly marked with larger spots of a dark red 

 and reddish-brown. In this nest there is a somewhat larger proportion of 

 fine strips of inner bark, and mixed with these are also a few silky insect 

 cocoons, by means of which the nest is firmly bound around the twigs from 

 which the whole is suspended. 



Vireo vicinior, Coues. 



ARIZONA VIREO. 



Fireo vicinior, Coues, Pr. A. N. Sc. Phila. 1866. — Baird, Rev. Am. B. 361. — Elliot, 

 Illust. Birds N. A. I, vii. — Cooper, Oru. Cal. I, 1870, 125. 



Sp. Guar. (No. 40,697 ^.) Bill stout, considerably compressed and deep. Wings 

 moderately pointed, about equal to tail, which is decidedly graduated ; first quill rather more 

 than half the second, which about equals 

 ninth and the secondaries ; the fourth and 

 and fifth longest. Tarsus considerably 

 longer than middle toe and claw ; lateral 

 toes quite conspicuous for their dispropor- 

 tion, the inner claw reaching only to base of 

 outer, and falling short of base of middle; 

 the terminal digit of inner toe reaching 

 only to end of second joint of middle toe. 



Upper parts, with sides of head and 

 neck, ashy or light plumbeous, faintly oli- 

 vaceous on rump. Beneath white ; slightly 

 ashy on sides of breast. Flanks and in- 

 side of wings showing a faint trace of yel- 

 low, only appreciable on raising the wings. 

 An obsolete line from bill to eye, and a 

 more distinct ring round the eye, white. 

 No bands on the wing, except a faint edging of whitish on the greater coverts ; the quills 

 edged internally with white. Bill and legs plumbeous. " Iris brown. Mouth livid, 

 bluish-white." (Coues.) 



Fresh specimen : Total length, 5.60 ; expanse of wings, 8.60. Prepared specimen : 

 Total length, 5.10 ; wing, 2.50 ; tail, 2.60, its graduation, .22 : diflFerence of tenth and 

 longest quills, .40; exposed portion of first primary, .85, of second, 1.65, of longest (meas- 

 ured from exposed base of first primary), 1.95 ; length of bill from forehead, .50, fiom 

 nostril, .32, along gape, .61 ; depth of bill, .18 ; tarsus, .72 ; middle toe and claw, .51, 

 claw alone, .16; hind toe and claw, .40, claw alone, .19. 



Hab. Prescott, Arizona. 

 50 



40697 



Vireo vicinior. 



