524: HISTORY OF THE 



to nape, eyelids and space below eye creamy white. A rather dusky postocular 

 and loral spot, the latter not extending to the bill. Under parts white, with 

 tinge of greenish yellow (occasionally of creamy fulvous or buff), especially on 

 breast; sides more olivaceous. Crissum and axillars scarcely more yellowish. 

 Quills and rectrices wood brown, edged internally with whitish, externally with 

 olivaceous, except perhaps on longer primaries. Edge of wing white. Larger 

 wing coverts grayish brown, with paler edges, and no trace of olivaceous. First 

 quill very short or spurious; second about equal to, generally rather longer than, 

 sixth; third longest; fourth, then fifth a little shorter." 



Stretch of 

 Length. -wing. Wing. Tail. Tarsus. Bill. 



Male 5.75 9.10 2.75 2.20 .70 .40 



Female... 5.50 8.85 2.60 2.00 .68 .40 



Iris brown; bill upper dusky, under pale; legs and feet 

 plumbeous; claws brown. 



These familiar birds inhabit the groves, orchards, parks and 

 shade trees about our dwellings. They are, I think, the sweet- 

 est songsters of the family, and nearly as constant singers as the 

 Bed-eyed, and their soft, warbling, musical notes much more 

 varied. They are great favorites, not only on account of their 

 musical talent, but for their valuable services in ridding the fruit 

 and shade trees of the many injurious insect pests, that are so 

 destructive to the foliage and fruit 



Their nests, like those of the Red-eyed, are suspended to the 

 slender forks of twigs, and are composed of about the same 

 material, but smoother and more compact in their make-up. 

 They usually build from twenty to even one hundred feet from 

 the ground. (I once found a nest only seven feet up, but, in the 

 vicinity of taller trees, such finds are rare.) Eggs four or five, 

 .75x.55; crystal white, sparingly spotted about the larger end 

 with reddish and dark brown, intermingled with lilac; in form, 



oval. 



SUBGENUS LANIVIREO BAIRD. 



"Body stout; head broad. Bill short and stout, broad at base, the culmeu 

 curved from the base, the commissure considerably arched." 



Vireo flavifrons VIEILI,. 



YELLOW-THROATED VIREO. 

 PLATE XXXI. 



Summer resident; quite common in the eastern part of the 

 State. Arrive the last of April to first of May; begin laying 



