BLACK FLYCATCHER; PHAINO- 
PEPLA (Phainopepla nitens) 
Length, about 714 inches. The glossy black 
color and marked crest of the male and the 
brownish gray of the female, also crested, dis- 
tinguish this species. 
Range: Breeds from central California, Ne- 
vada, Utah, and southwestern Texas south- 
ward; winters from southern California south- 
ward. 
Though a distant relative of the cedar bird, 
the phainopepla differs markedly from that 
species both in appearance and habits. It is 
known to few, for it lives chiefly in the desert 
country of the Southwest, though it is not 
wholly a stranger in the parks and gardens of 
that region. When flying the white wing-patch 
becomes conspicuous and distinguishes the bird 
from all others. In the fall it is not unusual 
to find it in loose flocks the members of which 
are drawn temporarily together, perhaps by the 
abundance of some favorite food. Like the 
cedar bird, it is essentially a berry eater, and 
in California sometimes makes free of the 
cherry crop. Its chief dependence, however, is 
the mistletoe, the mucilaginous berries of which 
delight it, as also do those of the juniper and 
pepper. Its partiality for mistletoe is probably 
the bird’s worst trait, as it distributes the seeds 
of this pernicious parasite to the detriment of 
many fine oaks and sycamores. It eats many 
insects, principally ants, and has the habit of 
perching on a tall shrub, from which it sallies 
forth after flying insects, thus simulating a 
flycatcher. The phainopepla has a variety of 
call notes and a very pleasant song. 
YELLOW-THROATED VIREO 
(Lanivireo flavifrons) 
Length, about 6 inches. Its green upper 
parts and bright yellow throat and upper breast 
are its identification marks. 
Range: Breeds from southern Canada south 
to central Texas, central Louisiana, and central 
Florida; winters from southern Mexico through 
Central America. 
By no means so common as the red-eye, the 
yellow-throat inhabits the same kind of wood- 
land tracts and, like it, may often be seen, and 
still oftener heard, in the trees that shade the 
village or even the city streets. It is, however, 
much less common in such places since the ad- 
vent of the English sparrow, having been 
driven away by that little pest. Its song is 
much like that of the red-eye, yet it has a rich 
throaty quality quite foreign to the notes of 
that tireless songster and far superior to them. 
Neither this nor indeed any of the vireos ever 
seem to be in a hurry. They move quietly 
through the leafy covert, scanning the most 
likely lurking places for insects, pausing now 
and then to sing in a meditative manner, then 
renewing their quest. All of which is as dif- 
ferent as possible from the busy, nervous move- 
ments of the wood warblers, that seem ever in 
haste as though time were much too precious 
to waste. 
The food of the yellow-throat consists of a 
large variety of insects. including caterpillars, 
moths, and beetles, and flies and mosquitoes. 
34 
RED-EYED VIREO (Vireosylva olivacea) 
Length, about 6% inches. The slaty gray 
crown inclosed by narrow biack lines serves to 
identify this vireo. 
Range: Breeds from central Canada south to 
southeastern Washington, southern Montana, 
eastern Wyoming, eastern Colorado, western 
Texas, and central Florida; winters in South 
America. 
The red-eye is one of the commonest not 
only of our vireos, but also of all our small 
birds, and inhabits every suitable piece of 
woodland throughout its territory. Its notes 
may be frequently heard coming from the vil- 
lage shade trees; city parks and streets also 
know it. Its most notable trait is its habit of 
singing almost continuously as it moves slowly 
through the branches, pausing now and then to 
pick up a caterpillar or other insect. In woods 
where these vireos are common its voice may 
be heard all the livelong day, even during the 
noon hours, when most birds are silently rest- 
ing. The nest, suspended in a V-shaped fork, 
is a beautiful specimen of avian architecture, 
and so indifferent is the bird to its location 
that the nest of no other bird is so frequently 
seen by the chance passer-by. 
Though fond of mulberries and sassafras 
berries, the red-eye eats insects by preference, 
and spends most of its time gleaning the 
branches for plant lice, scales and caterpillars 
of various kinds. It eats such harmful beetles 
as the long-horned borers and weevils. I once 
saw a red-eye with a full-grown luna moth in 
its bill. After vigorously beating the helpless 
moth on a limb to get rid of the wings, the 
bird succeeded in reducing the enormous body 
to a formless mass which it eventually swal- 
lowed. 
LARK SPARROW: (Chondestes 
grammacus and subspecies) 
Length, about 6% inches. The variegated 
head markings and white outer tail feathers 
distinguish this species. 
Range: From western Pennsylvania and 
western Maryland and the Mississippi Valley 
westward, and from southern British Columbia 
and southern Saskatchewan to central Ala- 
bama, northern Louisiana, Texas, and south 
into Mexico; winters from northern California, 
southern Texas, and southern Mississippi to 
Guatemala. 
With some of the habits of the grass finch 
and, like that species, having the tail feathers 
tipped with white, the lark sparrow yet pos- 
sesses distinctive traits of its own, and after 
a little scrutiny can be mistaken for no other 
species. Its peculiar head markings have sug- 
gested the local western name of “snake bird,” 
although the reason is not quite obvious. The 
lark finch is usually very abundant where 
found at all, and inhabits the open country, 
prairie, plain, and desert. It is a really fine 
songster and the possession of a musical voice 
has led to its capture and sale as a cage bird. 
It has peculiar claims on the interest of the 
western farmer since it is to be classed in the 
front rank of sparrows as a destroyer of grass- 
hoppers. 
