SONG-BIRDS. Vireos 



dusky line through the eye. It frequents the garden in 

 spring and at midsummer, but prefers greater sechision for 

 its nest-building. When in the garden, it invariably sings 

 either in the elms or in a particular birch, locations that 

 the Purple Finch also chooses. Samuels thinks the song of 

 these two birds so identical that he has frequently mistaken 

 one for the other. I do not agree with him ; for the Vireo 

 lacks the power and richness of tone that the Finch pos- 

 sesses, and it is probably the similarity of their haunts that 

 misled him. 



There is a lane, a mile away, that separates a birch wood 

 from a clearing, and the Warbling Vireo is housed, to his 

 complete satisfaction, in the trees of this border-land. So 

 plentiful are they in the birches, that it is perfectly safe in 

 late May and June to take people to see and hear the birds 

 in this haunt, for you are sure that they will make good 

 your promise, at least in part, and give a private concert 

 morning or afternoon ; they decidedly disapprove of evening 

 performances. 



The Philadelphia Vireo {Vireo philadelpMcus) closely re- 

 sembles this species, but is very rare in New England. 



Yello^v-tlii'oated Vireo : Vireo flavifrons. 



Plate II. Fig. 12. 



Lencjth : 5. 75-G inches. 



Male and Female: Splendid yelloio throat and tipper breast ; cheeks 



yellow, shading to olive-green on head, back, and shoulders. 



Yellow line over and around the eye. Wings and tail dark 



brown. Two white bands on wings ; tail edged with white. 



Bill and feet lead-coloured. 

 Song : Rather sad — " Pree6-preea-pree6-preea.." 

 Season : Common summer resident ; May to September. 

 Breeds : Through its United States range. 

 Nest and Eggs : Pensile as usual, but more beautifully finished than 



that of any other species ; usually at some height from the 



ground. Eggs normal. 

 Itange : Eastern United States, south, in winter, to Costa Rica. 



119 



