VIREDXIDvK — THE VIREOS. 



o87 



the other from Lynn, Mass., iimy he tiikeu as c]iariieteri.stic of the sixicies. 

 They are ahnost exactly hemispherical in shape, tlieir hei<;lit and diameter 

 being the same, — tiiree indies. They were suspended from low huslu's, 

 hanging from the extreme ends of the twigs, among whicli tiie nests were 

 fastened l)y fine impacted masses of wood-mosses, wiiicli are very nicely and 

 elaborately interwoven witli the lower portions of tlie outer covering of the 

 nest. Tlie latter is composed of a singular medley of various materials, 

 among whicli may be noticed broken fragments of dry leaves, bits of de- 

 cayed wood and bark, cijarse blades of grass, various vegetable libre.s, lichens, 

 fragments of insects, mosses, straws, stems, etc. These are all wraj.pcd round' 

 and tirndy bound together with strong hempen filires of vegetables. AVithin 

 this outer enveloiie is an iinier nest, made of the liner stems of grasses 

 and dry needles of the wliite pine, tirudy interwoven. For the size d' the 

 bird, these nests are projwrtionally larger and dee])er than any others of the 

 conuuon kinds. The cavity is two or two and a half inches deep. 



The eggs are usually live in nundier. One from (leorgia measures .77 by 

 .r.5 of an inch, and is of an oljlong-oval shai)e ; anotlier, from Massachusetts, 

 is nuich more broadly ovate, measuring .80 by .&! Their greatest breadth' 

 is .Go of an inch, and their length .80. They have a clear crystal-white 

 ground, spotted about the larger end with line dark-purple and redilish-brown 

 dots. 



This species is one of the most common foster-parents of the Cowbird, 

 the eggs of whi-h are always lendcrly cured lor, and the offspring nurtured 

 by them, always to the destruction of their own nestlings. 



Vireo huttoni, Cassin. 



BUTTON'S VIHEO. 



Vireo hutf on!, C.\ssix, Pr. A. N. Sc. Pliila. 1851, If.O (Moiiteivy, Ca\.).^ In. 1832, pi. i, 

 tig. 1. — B.viiii), liinls N. Am. 1858, 33i), \<\. I.x.vviii, W'^ -i; l!,.v. :i57. SiLvrrii' 

 P. Z. S. 1858, ;iO-2 (Oa.xa.'^) ; 18(12, 1!) (La Paiucla). -lii. Catul. ISGl, 358, no. 25o! 

 — t'ooi'Eit, Oni. Cal. I, 1870, 121. 



Sp. Cpar. (Xd. .3,725.) First (luill latli.T loss tliaii lialf.sooond. wliioh aixnit equals tlu> 

 tenth ; thinl a little ImigiT than sovonth ; fourth and ni'tli nuaily equal, uud longest. Tail 

 slightly rounded, shorter than wings. Bill very 

 small. 



Aliovo olivc-grcoii ; liri.ditcst behind. csprcMal- 

 ly on rump i nd edfring of tail, duller and more 

 a.sliy towaids and on top an<l siiles ol' head 

 and neck. Wind's with two hand:, on eoveits, 

 and outer edi;es cif innermost secondaries ratlier 

 hroadly olivaeeous-wln'te ; other quills edi;ed e.x- 



... II ..1 ,. , .' Viri-n huttoitu 



teniiilly witli olivo-peen, paler towards outer 



primary; internally with wlulish. Lateral lail-foathor ed^ed externally with yellowish- 

 white. Feathers of rump with much concealed yellowisli-gray. 



