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276 ORNITHOLOGY AND OOLOGY. 
This species is very irregularly distributed in New Eng- 
land as a summer inhabitant. In Maine, New Hampshire, 
and Vermont it is rare; and, while it is quite abundant in 
the eastern parts of Massachusetts, it is rare in the western. 
Says J. A. Allen of it, at Springfield, — 
“T have never known the White-eyed Vireo taken here; and if 
occurring, as it very probably does, being not very uncommon in 
the eastern parts of the State, it must be excessively rare. In 
about a thousand specimens of the smaller land birds taken at 
Springfield during the last three years by different collectors, not 
a single White-eyed Vireo has been found.” 
This species arrives from the South, usually in pairs, from 
about the 25th of April to the Ist of May. It generally 
frequents low thickets and swamps. I do not remember of 
ever meeting with one in deep, high woods; but have often 
found a pair in a brier-patch in the middle of an old field or 
pasture. In such localities, its peculiar note ’chip cheweéo, 
’chip ’chip cheweéo, is often heard; together with another 
rattling, scolding note, difficult of description. When the 
bird is approached, it meets the intruder with this scolding 
rattle ; and, if the nest is approached, the Vireo becomes 
almost outrageous in its remonstrances. The nest is usually 
placed in a thicket of briers or vines, often in the gardens 
and fields. It is constructed of fibres of the inner bark of 
trees, fine twigs, grasses, pieces of hornets’ nests, and frag- 
ments of paper. These are built in a pensile form, sus- 
pended by the upper edge, and lined with slender strips of 
grape-vine bark and roots. The eggs are usually four in 
number, and can hardly be distinguished from those of the 
Red-eyed Vireo in shape or color; the average dimensions 
being a trifle smaller. Several eggs collected in different 
localities exhibit, as an average measurement, .82 by .59 
inch. A nest complement of four eggs, collected in Milton, 
Mass., vary but a trifle from this size; their measurement 
peing .83 by .59 inch, .82 by .59 inch, .82 by .58 inch, .80 
