THE NIDIOLOGIST 



97 



A very beautiful nest of the Warbling Vireo 

 was found in the top of a small maple bush, 

 along a creek bank near San Jose, which was 

 made largely of bright-red maple down. It was 

 Lut eight feet from the ground, and on May 28 

 •contained four half-grown young. This Vireo 

 ^was reported as common throughout Southern 

 California. Mr. Judson took two sets of eggs 

 from oak trees on "M-ay ..24, 1894. The month 

 ■of May seems to be the general trm-e -f-or Jiest- 

 ing, though it may vary either way. 



The Least Vireo was thoroughly treated in 

 papers by Messrs. Wilbur, Judson, and Williams. 

 It was not reported north of Southern Central 

 California. Mr. Wilbur's notes were based on 

 •observations taken at Riverside, Cal., and at 

 Fort Lowell and Fairbanks, Ariz. He found 

 them nesting from the latter part of April, 

 through May to the first of June, placing their 

 iinely-v.'oven nests generally at a height of from 

 two to eight feet in willows or alders. The 

 nests are made of strong fibers, bark strips, 

 leaves, grasses, and even pieces of paper, and 

 are always compact. Nests may often be lo- 

 cated by following the bird after its clear, un- 

 mistakable song. In Arizona this bird was 

 found breeding as late as June 19 (1893). This 

 seems to be a second brood, as immature young 

 were shot in May and June. On May 24, 1893, 

 two nests of the Least Vireo were found in 

 mesquite bushes, each containing one egg. On 

 May 28 the egg in the first had been replaced 

 by a Dwarf Cowbird's egg, and the nest seemed 

 deserted. The second contained one Vireo's 

 egg picked full of holes, two badly broken ones, 

 and two fresh eggs of Dwarf Cowbird. The 

 nest was also deserted. May 31 a nest was 

 found containing three fresh eggs, and one 

 taken June 9 contained three badly incubated 

 eggs, and one egg of Dwarf Cowbird. The 

 eggs of the Least Vireo are a beautiful trans- 

 parent white, lightly speckled with red and 

 brown. The average size of four sets collected 

 at Riverside is .68X.47. 



Mr. Judson took his first set of Least Vireo 

 on May 15, 1893. The nest was in the 

 branches of a willow tree which hung over a 

 small stream. The nest was composed of dead 

 bark taken from a dead tree near by, and lined 

 with grass. The female was sitting on the nest, 

 but slipped off on his approach and did not 

 utter a sound while he was taking the eggs, 

 which were four in number. After waiting a 

 short time a song like that of a Parkman's 

 Wren was heard, and on investigation the male 

 Least Vireo proved to be the musician. On 

 May 17 another nest was found suspended 

 from the under part of a sycamore which had 

 fallen across the creek, and it contained four 

 slightly incubated eggs. A nest but two feet 



from the ground, in the branches of a sycamore, 

 was found May 28, 1894, and held four fresh 

 eggs. The Least Vireo is easily distinguish- 

 able from the Warbling, by its slightly smaller 

 size, and its lacking the white superciliary line 

 of the Warbling Vireo. 



The Ring Pheasant. 



{Phas. torquatus.) 



THE Ring, or Moiifolian, Pheasant is an 

 introduced species to the State of -Ore- 

 gon. 



I think it was in 1886, when Mr. Denby, Min- 

 ister to China, returning to this country brought 

 with him several species of birds, and among 

 them the above mentioned. 



Six pairs reached their destination in safety, 

 and were liberated on Peterson Butte, just four 

 miles from this place (Sodaville). 



Of all the species introduced, including the 

 Silver and Golden Pheasants, only the Ring 

 Pheasant seemed to thrive. A law was enacted 

 for their protection for six years, but long be- 

 fore this expired they were killed in large num- 

 bers, as the farmers seemed to have the idea 

 that they were very destructive to grain. So 

 rapidly w^ere they slain that it was only a short 

 time before they became gcarce, and the people 

 then awakened to the fact that the birds would 

 soon become exterminated if not better pro- 

 tected. So trespass notices were posted on 

 nearly every farm, and this to some extent has 

 been beneficial. 



But let us consider the supposed destructive- 

 ness of this species. Many writers have stated 

 that they were destructive, but have submitted 

 no evidence to substantiate their statements. 



For over five years I have taken special pains 

 to examine the stomachs of every bird which I 

 have secured. This has been at all seasons 

 of the year. I have always found about 95 

 per cent of the contents of their stomachs 

 to contain small insects, grasshoppers, and 

 the black seeds so commonly found in wheat 

 and oats. 



It is true that they remain in the grain fields 

 a great deal, and perhaps tread down a few 

 stems of grain, but in so doing I find their ef- 

 forts are not for the grain itself, but for the 

 black seeds and insects. My observations, 

 therefore, lead me to the conclusion that these 

 Pheasants are a benefit to the farmer. 



The birds are fearless, coming into the gar- 

 dens and often feeding with the domestic fowls. 



Their plumage (male) is gorgeous, and a de- 

 scription would carry but a faint idea of their 

 beauty. They measure often 40 inches in 

 length, of which the tail measures 15 to 21 



