BIRDS OF MINNESOTA. 369 
and uttered with the utmost clearness and rapidity, I am sure 
you cannot hear short of the haunts of the genuine Mocking 
Bird. If not fully and accurately represented, there are at 
least suggested the notes of the Robin, Wren, Catbird, High- 
hole, Goldfinch and Song-sparrow.” 
SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 
Spurious primary about half the second, which is about 
equal to the eighth quill. Entire upper parts bright olivaceous- 
green; space around the eyes and extending to the bill, green- 
ish-yellow, interrupted by a dusky spot from the anterior 
canthus to the base of the gape; beneath white; sides of breast 
and body well defined almost gamboge yellow; edges of greater 
and middle wing coverts (forming two bands) and of inner 
tertiaries, greenish-yellow-white; iris white. 
Length, 5; wing, 2.50. 
Habitat, eastern United States, west of the Rocky mountains. 
VIREO BELLITI (AupuBoN). (683. ) 
BELL’S VIREO, 
I cannot quite understand how a bird which has been fairly 
common for many years now, could have escaped my collecting 
basket so effectually for nearly ten years after I became a resi- 
dent here, yet so it did; but I have in late years found them 
relatively common during the seasons when the other members 
of the genus were. They arrive about the 10th of May, and 
build their nests from the 25th to the 30th of that month in low 
bushes in the woodlands. The vicinities of our beautiful, syl- 
van lakes are favorite breeding localities. The nest is much 
like that of the other vireos, pensile and extremely well built, 
of strips of bark by which it is secured in the forks of a hori- 
zontal limb, and further composed of caterpillars’ silk, wasps’ 
nests, spiders’ nests, with bits of bark from milkweeds, &c., &c. 
The structure is basket-form, very firmly woven, embracing in 
its materials, bits of almost any pliable substances, and is lined 
with grass, fine strips of grape vine, and bits of leaves. White 
birch, which abounds about our lakes, is very often prominent. 
The eggs are pure white, slightly spotted with specks of brown- 
ish-black, mostly at the larger end, and four in number. No 
bird of song is habitually more hidden in its habits of conceal- 
ment amongst low brush. 
_ The song is not obtrusive like the Red-eyed, but is sweet and 
very plaintive while far from languid in the earnestness of its 
delivery. They are not an overly shy bird by any means, for 
