FAMILY Vireonid2. 
more deliberate in character and action. They are, like 
the Warblers, great insect destroyers. It is very signi- 
ficant in view of the differences between the two classes 
of birds that the Vireos almost invariably sing in alle- 
gro and the Warblers in presto time, that the voices of 
the tiny Warblers are weak, thin, and pitched very high, 
and that those of the more robust Vireos are louder and 
pitched much lower. 
The Red-eyed Vireo is one of ne commonest of birds, 
and is easily recognized by his intermittent song. He is 
in every orchard, along every highway and byway, and 
on the margin of every wooded hill throughout the 
country. His crown is dark gray margined by an al- 
most black line sharply contrasted with a white one 
directly over the eye; the iris is reddish; upper part of 
wings (with no wing-bars) light brownish olive; under 
parts white or yellower white as the season is advanced. 
Female similar in coloring. The nest is pensile and 
woven of dried grasses and the shredded stems or 
branches of weeds; plant down, bits of paper,* and 
birch-bark are also often used in its construction. About 
one half of the edge of the nest is attached to some forked 
limb anywhere from five to thirty (or rarely more) feet 
high. Egg white, sparingly flecked with umber or sepia. 
The range of this Vireo is throughout eastern North 
America; it winters in Central and South America. 
There is no bird song more easily traced to its source 
after a little experience with the roadside songsters than 
this one. It is not necessary to leave the road to find the 
singer, he will surely be directly overhead or on the 
other side of the way before one has walked five minutes; 
he is omnipresent, persistently loquacious, indefatigable, 
and irrepressible! He has something to say at all times 
and under all circumstances, and one may absolutely 
rely upon his having the /ast word unless the matter is 
settled with a gun! Heisa restless fellow and is seldom 
in one place for more than a few seconds ata time. All 
through the long summer day he sings his rhythmically 
* A young lady once showed me a nest belonging to her collection, 
in which was woven a bit of newspaper with the print in plair 
sight; it read—or part of it did—‘‘ front door this side.” 
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