364 



NORTH AMKUK'AN lilUDS. 





Vino nlirareits. 



Haiuts. Till! I'oiniiioii Ilod-oycd ViriMi is an almndaiit s])ocii'a tliroufvlioiit 

 Eiistuni North America, t'loiii Kluricla to Nova Scotia on tlu' iiortlKiast, to 

 Lai<o WiiiiiL'iieg on tlic; noilliwi'st, and as I'ar west as the Itoeky Mountains. 

 It aitpareiitly l)reeds wherever found, and in especial abundance in the Central 

 States. It is a I'aniiliar and tearless s])eci(>s, olten found, like the Warl)ling 



Vireo, in the very midst of crowded cities, 

 and making its lively and pleasant notes 

 heard in tiieir public scpiares and private 

 gardens, amid the ruder sounds of the 

 neighboring streets. It breeds in Texas 

 and Louisiana, at the Southwest, and also 

 in abundance, at least as far as Halifax, 

 in the opposite direction. At Fort Reso- 

 lution, at the Cumberland House, and at 

 Fort Simpson, the nests and eggs of this 

 S])ecies were procured by Keiniicott and 

 Iioss. A single specimen of the bird has 

 been procured in Greenland, and another 

 accidental specimen was shot in England. Specimens have also been pro- 

 cured in Central America. 



This Vireo, like all of its peculiar and well-marked genus, prefers the 

 forests or tiie tops of large and shady trees, obtains its food usually among 

 their upper branches, and very rarely approaches the ground. It is not ex- 

 clusively sylvan, as at times it nuiy be found around dwellings, hunting 

 for insects and sjjiders ; and although it hunts for food atnong the tree-tops, 

 its nest is not always in such liigh situations, often not more than four or 

 five feet from the ground. 



In their migrations these birds enter the T'niteil States early in March, but 

 do not make their ai)pearance in IVnnsylvai.la until the last of April, or in 

 New England until tiie nuddle of May. 



The Yireos procure their food, for tiie most part, by moving about and 

 along branches, and among the twigs of trees, hojiping from one position to 

 another, and securing their prey without the dick of a Flycatcher. The in- 

 sects they capture are usually not in motion, though occasionally they will 

 take them on the wing. They also feed on several kinds of ripe berries in 

 the autunni. 



The song of this Vireo is loud, musical, simple, and ])leasing. It is uttered 

 in short, emphatic bars, and at times has a very marked resemblance to the 

 melodious chant of the liobin, though withoiit its volume and power. This 

 Vireo is one of the earliest of our spring musicians, as it is also one of the 

 most constant and untiring in its song, continuing to sing long ai'ter most of 

 the other vocalists liave liecome silent, and even until it is about to leave 

 us, at the close of September. The tender and ])athetic utterances of this 

 Vireo, uttered with so much apparent animation, to judge from their sound, 



