V. PHILADELPIIICUS I LOVE GREENLET. 197 



the leaves have fallen. The eggs are three to five in 

 number, pure white, with a rosy blush, sprinkled with 

 a few dark spots at and about the larger end, most of 

 the surface being immaculate ; they measure 0.80 to 

 0.85 in length by about 0.60 in breadth. The parents 

 are very spirited in the defence of their home, and very 

 tender in the care of their young, to whom they bring 

 a bountiful supply of soft insect food. Like other 

 Vireos, this Greenlet is an indefatigable bug-hunter, 

 incessantly peering about for the insects that infest the 

 foliage, singing as he goes his diligent, useful way, 

 now dropping a note to seize his prey, then resuming 

 his strain with the same preoccupied air. 



BROTHERLY-LOVE GREENLET. 



VlREO PHILADELPHICUS CdSS. 



Chars. Above, dull olive-green, brightening on the rump, fading 

 insensibly into ashy on the crown, which is not bordered with 

 blackish ; a dull white supraciliary line ; below, palest possible 

 yellowish, whitening on throat and belly, slightly olive-shaded on 

 sides ; sometimes a slight creamy or buff shade throughout the 

 under parts ; no obvious wing-bars ; no evident spurious first 

 primary. The latter character distinguishes the species from V. 

 gilvus, which it most resembles in color. About 5.00 long ; wing, 

 2.70 ; tail, 2.25 ; bill hardly or about 0.50 ; tarsus, 0.66. 



This is the rarest of the New England Greenlets, 

 but its very close resemblance to the Warbling Vireo 

 doubtless causes it to be considered less common than 

 it really is. The best account of the species as a bird 

 of New England is that given by Mr. Deane (Bull. 

 Nutt. Club, i, 1876, p. 74). "The above-named spe- 



