oan. eee THE CASSIN VIREO. 
scolding notes, which it often delivers when searching thru the bushes, and 
especially if it comes across a lurking cat. 
The Warbling Vireo’s cradle is swung midway from the fork of some 
nearly horizontal branch in the depths of a shady tree. In height it may 
vary from fifteen to twenty-five feet above the ground; but I once found one 
in a peach tree without a shadow of protection, and within reach from the 
ground. The structure is a dainty basket of interwoven grasses, mosses, 
flower-stems, and the like. It is not, however, so durable as that of some 
other Vireos, since much of its thickness is due to an ornamental thatching 
of grass, bark-strips, green wsnea moss, and cottonwood down, which dis- 
solves before winter is over. ‘The female is a close sitter, sticking to her 
post even tho nearly paralyzed with fear. The male is usually in close 
attendance, and knows no way of discouraging the inquisitive bird-man save 
by singing with redoubled energy. He takes his turn at the eggs when his 
wife needs a bit of an airing, and even, it is said, carries his song with him 
to the nest. 
No. 140. 
CASSIN’S VIREO. 
A. O. U. No. 629 a. Lanivireo solitarius cassinii (Xantus). 
Synonym.—WESTERN SOLITARY VIREO. 
Description.—Adult male: Crown and sides of head and neck deep olive- 
gray; a supraloral stripe and eye-ring whitish, the latter interrupted by dusky 
of lore; remaining upperparts olive-green overcast with gray, clearing, pure olive- 
green on rump and upper tail-coverts; wings and tail blackish with edging of 
light olive-green or yellowish (white on outer web of outer rectrices); tips of 
middle and greater coverts yellowish olive, forming two rather conspicuous bars ; 
underparts white tinged with buffy, changing on sides and flanks to sulphur 
yellow or pale olive; under tail-coverts yellowish; bill grayish black above, paler 
below; feet dusky, iris brown. Adult female: Like male but duller, browner 
on head and neck, less purely white below. Jmmature: Head and neck more 
nearly like back; supraloral streak, orbital ring, and underparts washed with 
brownish buff. Length about 5.50 (139.7) ; wing 2.84 (72.2); tail 2.05 (52.2); 
bill .39 (10); tarsus .75 (19). 
Recognition Marks.—Warbler size; slaty gray head contrasting with oliva- 
ceous back; whitish eye-ring distinctive; voice has more of an edge than that 
of V. olivacea. 
Nesting.—Nest: a.semi-pensile basket of woven bark-strips, grasses, and 
vegetable fibers, variously ornamented externally with cherry petals, spider cases, 
bits of paper, etc., lashed to bark of horizontal or descending bough of sapling 
