YELLOW-THROATED VIREO. 73 



glass and go to Lafayette or Franklin Park or to 

 the Smithsonian grounds, rather than to the woods. 

 They will be found in the upper stories of large trees, 

 where they hang their pensile nests and warble the 

 happy days away. These are thought to be the sweet- 

 est of the Vireo singers, and Langille characterizes 

 their song as " an inimitable melody like that of some 

 celestial flute or flageolet, never out of tune and never 

 failing to charm." 



Warbling Vireos have no distinguishing marks 

 and their soft tints are almost exactly those of a pop- 

 lar leaf. 



Yellow-throated Vireo: Virco flavifrons. 



Length about 6 inches. 



Upper parts bright olive-green; two distinct white wing- 

 bars. 



Throat and breast bright yellow; belly white. 



Resident (common) from April 20 to September 15; win- 

 ters in the tropics. 



This Vireo is distinguished from the rest of his 

 family by his bright yellow breast. He has the same 

 coloring as the Yellow-breasted Chat, but is decidedly 

 smaller and the Chat has no white wing-bars. While 

 the Yellow-throat is considered a woodland 'bird, he 

 is not shy and often comes near dwellings to build 

 his nest, which is the prettiest of all the Vireo baskets, 

 being decorated outside with delicate white lichens. 

 It is generally found at the end of an oak branch, 

 where it is sheltered from sun and rain, and hidden 

 from observation by the thick overhanging leaves. 

 Often the end of one or two leaves will be glued to 

 the edge of the nest, making a secure canopy. In a 

 nest found near Rockville, the hateful Cowbird had 



