VIREOXrD.K — THK VIItEOS. 3^*9 



ondan" rovorts aro obscnicly ti}»iM.'(l witli liijlit l»ro\vii, fMrniiiig two indistinct 

 1 Kinds across the win'jj. 



A specimen (Xn. ."»4,l'«')i') lV(»in ()ri/a1>a is, in jiositively every respect, 

 exactly intermediate between this species and T. /(/.s7y<//<r ot' Costa Kica, 

 Kciiador, etc. (See lo(>tnote on pai^e ."Wlo.) The crown is hrown, decidedly 

 darker than, and different in tint from, the l»ack, but less so than in josrjJur ; 

 the hack is less olive than in the hitter, and less ijr.iy than in the former. 

 The lower parts are more yellow than in f/ifri's, and less so than in j<isiitjin\ 

 the superciliary stripe whiter and extemling farther hack than in the former, 

 and less pure white and she ter than in the latter, etc. 



Habits. The Warhlinj^ Vireo has only a slinhtly less extended distribu- 

 tion than the IJed-eyed, beini^ found throughout all Eastt'rn Xortli America, 

 us far north as Fort Simpson and Selkirk Settlement, and west to the Mis- 

 souri liiver, and breeding; as far south as Louisiana. It is stated bv Audu- 

 Iwjn to be found on the Columbia Kiver, Itut in liiis he ]»robal)ly referred to 

 the Western race, V. sica bison i. That writer never observed this s|)ecies 

 in Louisiana or Kentucky, nor in the maritime part of (Jeorj^ia, and its nuui- 

 ner of entering; the United States he was unable to ascertain. AVhere it 

 moves to in the winter is also unknown, none havintj: been met with in the 

 West Indies, and only at a few junnts in Mexico, Cordova, Oaxaca, and the 

 State of Vera Cruz. It was, liowever, found breeding at Calcasieu, Louis- 

 iana, by Mr. Wiirdemann. 



It breeds abundantly from Virginia to Xova Scotia, and throuj^hout the 

 Northwestern States. West of the IJocky Mountains it is replaced by a 

 closely allied species, the V. .w:ainson'L This Vireo, more than any other of 

 its genus, if not exclusively, is to a large extent a resident of villages, towns, 

 and even cities. It is hv far the sweetest singer that ventures within their 

 crowded streets and public .squares, — although Mr. Cassin gives his prefer- 

 ence to the notes of the Ked-eyed, — and the melody of it.^ song is exipiis- 

 itelv soft and beautiful. It is chietlv to be found amonij the tall trees, in 

 the vicinity of dwellings, where it seems to deliglit to stay, and from their 

 highest tops to suspend its pensile nest. It is especially abundant among 

 the elms on Boston Common, where at almost any hour of the day, from 

 early in the month of May until long after summer has gone, may be heard 

 the prolonged notes of this, one of the sweetest and most constant of our 

 singers. Its voice is not powerful, but its melody is llute-like and tender. 

 Throughout the last of May, and in June and duly, their charming song may 

 be heard amid the din of the citv from earliest dawn till niiihtfall, and rarely 

 ceases even in the noontide heat, when all other birds are silent. It is ever 

 in motion, while thus singing ; and its sweetest notes are given forth as it 

 moves among the tree-to})s in search of insects. It is not only one of our 

 most constant singers, but it remains musical almost until its departure for 

 the South in October. 



The Warbling Vireo appears in the ^liddle States about the loth of April, 



47 



