138 Bowles, Nesting Habits of Anthony's Vireo. F April 



NESTING HABITS OF ANTHONY'S VIREO. 



BY C. W. AND J. H. BOWLES. 



In the vicinity of Tacoma, Washington, this Vireo, Vireo hut- 

 torn obscurus, can scarcely be described as either rare or common, 

 for the probability is that they are much more abundant than a 

 casual, or even close, observer would be led to suppose. While 

 we have noticed comparatively few birds, we have found several 

 last year Vireos' nests so much resembling, in every detail, the 

 identified nest described below that we feel little hesitation in 

 thinking them the work of these birds. This, of course, cannot 

 be considered a positive proof, for jumping at conclusions of this 

 nature is extremely bad policy, but the theory seems all the more 

 tenable for the two following reasons : First, this is the most 

 unassuming and least noisy of any of the Vireos frequenting this 

 locality ; in fact, we have never heard it sing a note or make a 

 noise of any kind whatsoever. This causes one to feel positive 

 that many of these birds must have been overlooked. The second 

 reason is that the nest taken by us does not resemble in the 

 smallest degree the nests of either the ' Warbling Vireo ( Vireo 

 gihms) or the Cassin's Vireo (^Vireo soUtarius cassifiii), which are 

 the only other Vireos known to breed in this section of the 

 country. 



The nest under discussion is, we are given to understand, the 

 only one known to science where the identity is clear and indis- 

 putable. The situation from which it was taken is some eight 

 miles from the city of Tacoma, in a thin fringe of small firs that 

 border a rather extensive prairie. On this prairie are located the 

 links of the Tacoma Golf Club, and, as these links are visited 

 daily by large numbers of the players, it is fair to presume that 

 the bird is not unsociably inclined towards mankind, as is its shy 

 cousin, the Cassin's Vireo. 



Like other Vireos' nests it was hanging, though in a somewhat 

 peculiar way, being suspended, not from the usual crotch, but 

 from two green twigs that grew from a small limb at an interval 



