VlREONID^i; — THE VIREOS. 365 



are in striking contrast to the apparent inclifl'urence or unconsciousness of the 

 little vocalist wlio, while thus delighting the ear of tlie listener, seems to be 

 all the while ciiietiy bent on procuring its daily supply of food, which it 

 pursues with unalnitod ardoi-. 



This Vireo builds the neat pensile nest of its race, suspending it from the 

 fork of two or more twigs of a forest tree, at various heights of from five to 

 fifty feet from the ground. It is cup-like in shape, and always depruulent 

 from small twigs, around which its upper edges are firmly bouiul. Exter- 

 nally it is woven of various miitiaials, fine strips of bark, the hempen fibres 

 of vegetables, and webs of spiders and of various caterpillai-s. These are 

 comj)actly pressed and woven, and, as some su])p()se, agglutinated by the 

 saliva of the builder. Sometimes the unmanageable materials give to the 

 outside of the nest a rude and unfinished appearance, at others they are 

 evenly and smoothly wrought. They are very strong, uninjured by the 

 storms of winter, and are often made use of by other birds, by mice, ami 

 even by the same bird a second season. 



A nest of this bird (S. I. Coll., 3,1553) was obtained at the Cumberland 

 House by Mr. Kennicott. It is pensile, like all others, but is composed 

 almost exclusively of pine-needles, — a dry and hard material, difficult of 

 management in making such a nest. With these are intermingled a few bits 

 of moss, fine strips of bark, and fiax-like vegetable fibres. Within this rude 

 basket is an inner nest, made up tif fine dry grasses, strips of bark, and pine 

 leaves. The external fabric is loosely put together, — an unusual feature, — 

 but the inner portion, in the firmness and stivngth with which it was made, 

 is in remarkable contrast. 



The Ited-eyed Vireo's nest is often chosen by the Cowbird for the deposi- 

 tion of her parasitic eggs, and these foster -i)arents are singularly devoted in 

 the care of their alien guests, mIioui they tenderly nurture, even to the neg- 

 lect of their own ofl'spring. In one instance three eggs of a Cowbird were 

 deposited in the nest of the Yireo before any of her own, and, without laying 

 any, the female Yireo proceeded to sit upon and hatch the intruders. In 

 another case, where two of the Vireo's had been laid, two (,'owbird's eggs 

 were added. The Vireo stojiped laying, and proceeded to incubate. In each 

 instance the female Vireo seemed to forego her own natural aspirations, and 

 at once conform to the new situation. 



The male Vireo often evinces great courage and spirit in the defence of his 

 nest, when the young are hatched driving away intrudei-s, and even Hying in 

 the face of a man who approaches too near. 



jMr. Nuttall states that the young of the Ilcd-eyed ^'ireo feed eagerly upon 

 the berries of the cornel and the Vibiiniinii dcntidum, and other shrubs. A 

 young bird kept in confinement soon became very gentle, and readily ate flies 

 and grasshoppers from his hand, and viburnum lierries. A tame Kingbird 

 in the same room was very jea^)us of and tyrannized over him, so as to 

 compel him to seek protection from his captor. The Vircos, like Flycatcher.s, 



