40 



IOWA ORNITHOLOGIST. 



pseudo-naturalists and English 

 Sparrow, we may in time hope to 

 recall to their own homes, our 

 favorite friends, the pursued and 

 persecuted birds. As they return 

 to our door yards and take up 

 life as in the days of yore, we 

 will become better acquainted and 

 realize more fully their great mis- 

 sion in this world. 



This return will serve as a 

 death warrant to the avaricious 

 collector and as an impetus to the 

 student who devotes his life to 

 the exploration of the characters 

 and habits of these, the favor- 

 ites of nature. 



Notes on the Birds of Iowa. 



JOHN V. CRONE, MARATHON, IOWA, 

 COMPILER. 



'T'HE Vireonidae, our family for 

 special study this quarter, is 

 quite well represented in Iowa, 

 the reports embracing definite 

 notes from sixteen counties, and 

 upon seven different species. No 

 doubt the notes would have been 

 more profuse were it not for the 

 fact that ornithologists are some- 

 what tardy in becoming acquaint- 

 ed with the different varieties of 

 our smaller birds. 



624. Virco olivaceus. {Linn.) 

 RED-EYED VIREO. 



The Red-eyed Greenlet is of 

 wide distribution, not being con- 

 fined to the U. S. 



In Iowa it appears to be quite 

 generally found. However, the 

 notes show a' dearth of either the 

 birds or enthusiastic ornitholo- 

 gists in the west and northwest 

 portions of the state, since it is 

 reported from only one county, — 

 Pottawattamie — in that region, 

 while there are profuse notes on 

 the species from fifteen in the 

 eastern and central parts. 



It arrives in the state in late 

 April and early May, breeds dur- 

 ing late May and all of June and 

 leaves during the latter part of 

 August or September. 



It is a more numerous migrant 

 than summer resident; but is not 

 rare by any means during the 

 breeding season, being reported 

 as "common" or "abundant" by 

 nearly all who mention the num- 

 bers found through the period of 

 nidification. Assuming all those 

 who reported on the species to be 

 equally versed in our favorite 

 science, the numbers vary con- 

 siderably with locality. Most 

 likely this is due to the topog- 

 raphy of the country in question. 



The nest is pensile — a trite 

 statement to most lovers of birds, 



