«88s.] (Joss oh the Black-capped Vireo ami Nonpareil. 2 7 s" 



from the rocks above and thickly covered the -round, thai I 

 should have passed it by unnoticed had 1 not on my near ap- 

 proach been attracted to the spot by the scolding and the excited 

 actions of the birds. On discovering the nest I did not stop to 

 examine it, hut kept leisurely on my course until out of sight ; 

 then cautiously turned hack, and at a safe distance had the pleas- 

 ure of seeing both the birds busily at work building their nest, 

 then about two-thirds completed. The nest is hemispherical in 

 shape, and composed of broken fragments of old bleached leaves, 

 with here and there an occasional spider's cocoon, interwoven 

 together and fastened to the twigs with fibrous stripping and 

 silk-like threads from plants and the webs of spiders, and lined 

 with fine stems from weeds and grasses. On the 18th, my last 

 day in the vicinity, I went to the nest confidently expecting to 

 \\\\(\ a full set of eggs, but on account of the cold, wet weather, 

 or from some other cause, the bird had not laid, and I had to con- 

 tent myself with the nest. 



That the bird is quite a common summer resident in the 

 vicinity may be safely set down as certain, and I think the 

 species, now so little known, will prove to be abundant in suit- 

 able locations from Medina and Comal Counties, Texas, where 

 they were found nesting in the spring of 1S7S, by Mr. Geo. II. 

 Ragsdale and Mr. VV. II. Werner (see Bull. Nutt Orn. Club, 

 Vol. IV, No. 3, pp. 58, 99, and 193), north to and into the gyp- 

 sum formation in Southwestern Kansas. 



The description of the color and markings of the species has 

 been so correctly given by others that I do not think it necessarv 

 to take up further space than to touch upon the points respecting 

 which the accounts differ, viz. : The broad white orbital ring 

 does not meet over the eyes, the black running down and sepa- 

 rating it for a space of about .10 of an inch. The top and sides 

 of the head in front, in the female, are blackish, fading gradually 

 posteriorly to ashy slate. The other markings are similar to 

 those of the male, but not so bright. 



The following notes, from my catalogue and register, are from 

 memoranda taken at the time of killing: — 



Srx. Length. Alar extent. Wing. 



$ 4- 6 5 6.95 2.15 



<J 4.60 6.90 2.12 



4.40 6.80 2.10 



4.40 6.80 2.10 



