202 



VIREONID^ : GREENLETS. 



This is decidedly the handsomest of the Greenlets, 

 the rich yellow of the throat and breast being as con- 

 spicuous as it is in the case of the Chat — these two 

 birds, in fact, resembling each other quite closely. It 

 is not nearly so common in New England as either the 

 Red-eye or the Warbling Vireo, and in fact is rare, or 

 only locally distributed in any numbers beyond Massa- 

 chusetts, being decidedly characteristic of the Alle- 

 ghanian Fauna. It is, however, found in the Cana- 

 dian also. Mr. Ruthven Deane found it in September 

 at Ripogenus Lake, about one hundred and fifty miles 



northeast of Umba- 

 gog (Bull. Nutt. 

 Club, i, 1876, p. 

 74). This occur- 

 rence may be ex- 

 ception al . The 

 Yellow- tliroat ar- 

 rives in New Eng- 

 land with other 

 Vireos ver}^ early in May, is distributed in a week or 

 two, and remains through the greater part of Septem- 

 ber. The eggs are not distinguishable with certainty 

 from those of the Red-eye and Warbling Greenlet, 

 though perhaps, on an average, more heavily spotted ; 

 they are laid at the same time. The nest, on the contra- 

 ry, is a much more highly finished structure, of greater 

 capacity, and elegantly adorned with a stucco-work of 

 lichens, like a Humming-bird's. Mr. Minot compli- 

 ments the birds on their architectural taste and skill, 

 and describes the result as " altogether one of the pret- 

 tiest nests to be found." "The nest of this species," he 

 says, " is pensile, but rather larger and deeper than 



Fig. 50. — Details of Structure of Yellow- 

 throated Greenlet. (Natural size.) 



