VIUEOMD.E Tin: VIIiKOS. 37I 



Vireosylvia gilvus, var swainsoni, IVmud. 



WESTEBN WABBUNO OREEKLET. 



Virco swainsoni, B.viitK. I'.inU N. Am. 1>'>H, 33(1 (ra.ifu" toasts. -Ki.Mnr, Illu.>t. IWnls 

 N. A. I, vii. I'innsiilciti sicainsiini. Haiku, h'l-v. Am. I>. 343. I'irvusiflcia yilca, var. 

 HWainmtni, CotU'F.U, Oni. Cal. I, ls7<', 11'!. riiat iMird'iiniii, 8WAINsoN, T. U. A. II, 

 1831, *J3.'* (ill i«4rt ; sih'c. Iroiii loliimliia liivtrf). 



{So. ^),'.V2\ ^.) Similar tt) V. (/ihui. hnl sjuuUer; colors puler. Bill more ilcprchscd. 

 Upper maiidilih' alniDst l>l;uk. Sccoml (piill 

 much Kh(»rtL'r than sixth. Total li'iiL'th, 4.".') ; 

 winj,', 2.71; tail, 2..'i.") : ditU'ri'iict' bt'twct*^ 

 tenth cpiill and loiij.'ost, .oS; exposed portion 

 oi lirst primary, .58, of second, 1.82, of 



lonj^cst (measured from oxpo.sed base of •'' * / • -x-wn 1»**91 



first primary), 2.10; length of hill from 

 forehead, ..')(>, from nostril, .21), along gape, 

 .0'>; depth of hill, .13; tarsus, .70; middle Virto iuMumom. 



toe and cluvv, .5(J; hind to'^ and daw, A'.\. 



Had. United States, from liockv Mountains to I'acilic coast. 



In the present bird the hill is darker in color, much sniaUer, and more 

 depressed, the depth at the hase heiiio; less than the width, instead of bein*; 

 equal to it as in var. ffUvus. Tlie wing is more rounded, the second quill 

 much shorter than the sixth, generally shorter or but little longer than the 

 seventh. In var. ^//r/^9, the second (piill is about ecpial to the sixth. The 

 second (piill is about .oO of an inch (or more) shorter than the longest in 

 sicainsoni, while in [/ilr us it is only about .20 shorter. The teet of swainsoni 

 are weaker, and the colors generally paler and grayer. The iris, according to 

 Cones, is dark brown. 



Young birds in autumnal plumage liave the crown decidedly ash, the sides 

 more greenish ; the wing-coverts pass terminally into a light brownish tint, 

 producing an inconspicuous band. 



Habits. This Western representative of the Warbling Vireo is found 

 throughout the western portions of our Union, from the Great Plains to the 

 Pacific, and from Arizona to the extreme northern boundary of AVashingtaii 

 Territory. 



Dr. Cooper characterizes this as a lively and familiar songster. It arrives, 

 he states, at San Diego about April 10, and reaches Puget Sound toward the 

 middle of May, occupying nearly all the intermediate country throughout 

 the summer. It freipients the deciduous trees along the borders of streams 

 and prairies, coming into gardens and orchards with familiar confidence, 

 wherever cultivation has reclaimed the wilderness. Like its Eastern proto- 

 type, its cheerful and varied song is heard all day long until quite late in the 

 autumn. They too build their nests in the shade-trees of the parks of busy 

 cities, singing ever their delightful strains, unconscious of the busy and noisy 

 crowd that throngs the neighboring streets. 



