RED-EYED VIREo. 



549 



place in sjairli of insects, mice and small hiids, all of which form tlieir prev. Thev have 



the singular, well known habit of killing more birds and insects than they can eat, by 



often hanging them up on thorns, possibly thus 



storing them for future use. I on(;e saw a 



Northern Shrike hang up several Red-polls which 



I had shot in some neighboring bushes, by placing 



their necks in crotches of twigs. Tliey are quite 



bold when impelled by hunger and I have known 



of their attacking Canary Birds when their cages 



were placed near oijen windoAvs. 



The song of the Northern Shrike l)ears 

 some resemblance to that of the Loirtterhead but 

 is finer and louder. They also emit a harsh cry of alarm or of rage when disturbed, 

 Tliis large Shrike appears in Massachusetts in November and often remains until the 

 middle of April. 



Fig. 72. Head of Adult Northern 

 Shrike in winter. 



FAMILY VI. VIREONIDAE. THE VIREOS. 



Bill, not wide at base nor deeply cleft ; but curved and notched at tip. Coracoid bones, nearly equal in 

 length to the top of the keel. Keel, moderately high, equaling in length one half the width of sternum. 



These are birds of plain markings, being greenish above and yellow or white beneath ; but like many 

 species with inconspicuous plumage, they are fine songsters. 



GENUS I. VIREO. THE GREENLETS. 

 Gen. Ch. Sternal characters as given above. Wings, long. Tail, moderate. Bill, shorter than the head. 



VIREO OLIVACEUS. 

 Red-eyed Vireo. 



Vireo olivaceus VieilL, Bon., Obs. Wils.: 182(i, 124. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sp. Ch. Form, rather slender. Size, moderate. Sternum, not stoutly built. Tongue, thinand horny, 

 deeply cleft at the end, with tlie e.vtreme tip provided with minute cilia. In j'oung birds the tongue is not as 

 deeply cleft, and the cilia extend along the sides. Color. Adult 

 male. Above, olivaceous-green, with the wings and tail, excepting oa 

 the outer web, which is, like the back, dark brown. Top of head, 

 slaty-blue. Superciliary stripe, dirty white, preceded above by a 

 narrow line of black. A dusky line extends from the base of the bill, 

 through the eye, to sorac distance tehind it. Under parts, pure 

 white, with the sides, flanks, under wing coverts, axillaries and under 

 tail coverts, greenish. Irides, red. Adult female, and young in all 

 stages, similar, but paler, with the black markings about tlie head 

 often nearly obsolete. The irides are quite brown, especially in the 

 joung. In all stages the bill is dark brown on the upper mandible, 

 and bluish on the lowei". The feet are blue. 



Fic. 72. Head of Adult Red-eyed 

 Vireo in spring. 



