390 NOUTIt AMERICAN BIRDS. 



litoiy. In his account of it Mr. Audubon states that it is usually found in 

 tlie bottom-lands alonjf tlie shores of the Upper Missouri IJiver, from tlie 

 neij^liborhood of the Jilack Snake Hills, as i'ar as they ascended that river. In 

 its habits lie describes it as more nearly allied to the Wliite-eyed Vireo than 

 any other. 



Dr. Woodhouse, in liis report of the Zufii Iiiver Kxpedition, mentions find- 

 ing this species alnnulant in Te.xas. Mr. Dresser also speaks of it as not 

 unconnnon, during the sunnner, near San Antonio, and remaining there to 

 breed. He mentions finding a nest on the 2d of duly in a ireaakhe bush 

 near the San Pedro, containing three eggs of tliis species and one of the Covv- 

 IJunting. IJeing an.xious t(» procure tlie parent bird ho left it, but on his 

 return the nest had been torn ai d the Vireo's eggs smashed. Dr. lleermann 

 found a nest on tlie Medina about tiie same time. Ho describes tliis nest as 

 beautifully formed of fine grasses, and hung from the small twigs of a tree. 

 Tlie eggs, four in number, were very small, white, with an occasional re<ldis]i 

 dot at the larger end. The nest found by Dr. lleermann was attached to the 

 pendent twigs of a willow. Tlie stomachs of these Vireos were found to 

 contain small green caterpillars. 



Dr. Cones met with this species near Fort Riley, May 23. It appeared to 

 be quite common, and was found inhabiting tiiickets and clumps of bushes, 

 like V. noveboracensis, but having a very different song, the yteculiarity of 

 which first attracted his attention. Mr. IJidgway found it to be a common 

 summer resident in the thickets and copses of Southern Illinois, especially in 

 the prairie districts. He first met with it on the 8th of Ji'.ue, 1871, on Fox 

 Prairie, in Ilichlaud County. His attention was drawn to it by its peculiar 

 song, whicli has a general resemblance to that of the White-eyed Vireo, hav- 

 ing the same odd delivery, l)ut being more sputtering, reminding one some- 

 what of the song of Troi//o(ff/li's arfoii. 



This Vireo appears to have quite an extended distribution during the 

 breeding-season, or from Texas to the Upper Missouri, and even as far as the 

 eastern edge of Southern Illinois. It breeds .also as far to the east as East- 

 ern Kansas. Its western limits are not so clearly defined. It was not found 

 by Mr. Ridgv.ay in Nevada or Utah, nor by Dr. Coues in Arizona. 



A nest of this species, found in June, near Neosho Falls, Kansas, by Mr. 

 B. F. Go.ss (S. I. Coll., 1,875), is pensile ; suspendeil from two snudl twigs, which 

 make the basis of tliree fourtiis of its rim. Over tliese is strongly bound 

 a finely felted webbing of the ihix-like fibres of plants, interwoven with 

 slender stems. With these .are connected and interwoven also the materials 

 tliat m.ake up the ])eriphery of tlie nest itself. Tiiis is composed of long 

 and slender stri])3 of uark, friigments of dry leaves, bits of wood, and various 

 other fragmentary substances. The nest, unlike others of this family, is 

 lined with down, and the fine long hair of some aiiim.als, instead of with 

 vegetable stems. The diameter as well as the height ot this nest is about 

 two aud a half inches. 



