270 ORNITHOLOGY AND OOLOGY. 



engaged in building their nest in the covered and secluded parts of 

 the forests. I found several of their nests placed on bushes not 

 above ten feet from the ground, without any appearance of choice 

 as to the tree, but generally towards the top, and placed in a fork. 

 The nest is as large as that of the Robin, and is composed exter- 

 nally of coarse grasses, leaves, and moss ; internally of fibrous roots, 

 over which is a bed of the feathers of the wild turkey and pheas- 

 ant {Tetrao umbellus)." 



Nuttall, in describing the nest, says that it is "large and 

 compact, in the fork of a small tree, and sometimes in an 

 apple-tree, composed externally of dried grass, with whitish 

 moss, and well lined with feathers." 



The eggs are from four to six in nnmber, of a dirty lead- 

 colored white, and marked more or less thickly, around the 

 greater end, with dashes and spots of brown of different 

 shades. Dimensions of four eggs : 1.12 by .80 inch, 1.12 

 by .78 inch, 1.08 by .78 inch, 1.04 by .77 inch. 



Sub-Family Vireonin^. — The Vireos. 



VIREO, ViEILLOT. 



Hreo, ViEILLOT, Ois. Am. Sept., I. (1807) 83. (Type Mmcicapa Noveboracenm, 

 Gm.) 



Bill short, strong, straight ; the culmen slightlj' curved, the sides much compressed 

 to the tip, which is rapidly curved and deflected; the gonys long and ascending; the 

 gape with short, weak bristles ; the nostrils basal, rounded, and exposed, the feathers 

 of the head advancing forward on the bill to the nostril; wings variable, rather long, 

 and pointed ; the first quill sometimes spurious, the larger outer one always gradu- 

 ated a little; tail nearly even and rather short; tarsi longer than the middle toe; 

 outer toe a little longer than the inner; hind toe rather shorter than the middle one. 



VIREO OLIVACEUS. — I'leilhf. 

 The Red-eyed Vireo. 



Mitscicapa olivacea, Linna?us. Syst. Nat., I. (1766) 327. Wils. Am. Om., II 

 (1810) 55. 



J^reo oiivaceus, Nuttall. Man., I. (1832) 312. And. Om. Biog., II. (1834) 287; 

 V. 430. 



