THE WHITE-EYED VIREO. 



north to southern New England and Minnesota ; south in winter from Florida to 

 Guatemala and Honduras. Breeds from Florida and the Gulf States northward. 

 Range in Ohio. Common in southern, rare in central Ohio. Reported regu- 

 larly from northeastern part of state (Cuyahoga and Ashtabula Counties). 



THE manners of this "well-connected" bird have evidently suffered 

 through close association with that "prince of mountebanks," the Yellow- 

 breasted Chat. Like the larger mime the Vireo frequents brushy ravines and 

 thickets at the edge of the woods, where he prowls and pries and practices 

 all the tricks of the lightning change artist, and is ready at any time to join 

 his voice in a volley of abuse levelled at the chance intruder. If you are not 

 apprised of his presence by a sharp click heard in the depths of the thicket, 

 the feathered farceur will mount a nodding wand and throw the succession 

 of vocal somersaults which he calls his song. Tup to wee-o, chipiti burtnck, 

 comes with surprising energy and distinctness from so small a throat and you 

 are ready to follow at once upon the chase to which the wary bird invites you. 

 Mimicry is the White-eye's specialty. He follows it not only from a 

 desire to be tuneful but from sheer love of mischief. Once, in Lawrence 



County, we 

 heard a re- 

 markable suc- 

 cession of 

 sounds com- 

 ing we knew 

 not whence. 

 The ravine 

 was full of 

 birds and we 

 surmised 

 Chat and 

 Catbird and 

 Mockingbird, 

 until we came 

 at last upon 

 the center of 

 attraction. A 

 White-eyed 

 Vireo was 

 hopping to 



and fro upon a willow branch and singing vociferously while birds of half 

 a dozen other species were ranged about him giving rapt attention, among 

 them a jealous Catbird, who listened with bill agape and drooping wings. 



Morgan C 



Photo by the Author. 



"THE WHITE-EYED VIREO BUILDS LOW.' 



