l30 ■ SINGING BIRDS. 



bend, often of the snjilax or green briar vine. In the Middle 

 States they often raise 2 broods in the season, generally make 

 choice of thorny thickets for their nest, and show much con- 

 cern when it is approached, descending within a few feet of 

 the intruder, looking down and hoarsely mewing and scolding 

 with great earnestness. This petulant display of irritability is 

 also continued when the brood are approached, though as large 

 and as active as their vigilant and vociferous parents. In the 

 Middle States this is a common species, but in Massachusetts 

 rather rare. Its food, hke the rest of the Vireos, is insects 

 and various kinds of berries, for the former of which it hunts 

 with great agility, attention, and industry. 



" Eastern United States, west to the Rockies, south in winter to 

 Guatemala," is usually given as the habitat of this species. It has 

 been seen rarely north of southern New England, and only one 

 example has been taken in New Brunswick, though Mr. J. M. 

 Jones considers it fairly common in portions of Nova Scotia. 

 There is no authentic report of its occurrence in Ontario, but Mr. 

 Mcllwraith thinks it may yet be found there. 



Note. — Mr. William Brewster has lately described the Key 

 West Vireo ( V. noveboracensis tftayfiardi) as a larger bird than 

 the type and of duller color, the yellow paler. 



Bell's Vireo {Vireo benn),2. bird of much the same appearance 

 and habits as the White-eyed, is found in the prairie districts of 

 Illinois and Iowa. It ranges thence to the eastern base of the 

 Rockies. 



WARBLING VIREO. 



Vireo gil\tjs. 



Char. Above, grayish olive brighter on the rump, shading to ashy on 

 the head ; beneath, buffy white, flanks and sides tinged with olive yellow. 

 Length 5 to 5^^ inches. 



iVest. In open pasture or shaded street, suspended from fork of a 

 high branch ; composed of grass and vegetable fibre, and lined with fine 

 grass. 



E^gs. 3-4; white, spotted, chiefly about the larger end, with brown; 

 0-7S X 0.55. 



