BARTRAM'S VIREO. 297 



neai'ly allied to this, is quite distinct. It is smaller, has brown eyes at 

 all times of its life, sings sweetly, lives in low thickets, and builds a 

 pensile nest. You will see its figure in my fourth volume of Illustra- 

 tions, where I hope to be able to give you a good account of its habits." 



The bird alluded to is now in your presence. But before I proceed 

 to lay before you all that I know respecting it, I may direct your at- 

 tention to the following remarks of Wilson. " Before I take leave of 

 this bird (the Red-eyed Flycatcher) it may not be amiss to observe 

 that there is another and rather less species of Flycatcher, somewhat 

 resembling the Red-eyed, which is frequently found in its company. Its 

 eyes are hazel; its back more cinereous than the other, and it has a 

 single light streak over the eye. The notes of this bird are low, some- 

 what plaintive, but warbled out with great sweetness, and form a 

 striking contrast with those of the Red-eyed Flycatcher." 



This species has been named as above by my friend William 

 SwAiNSON, Esq., from whom I received a specimen procured in Mexico, 

 which corresponds in every respect with those which I have myself 

 procured in the States of New Jersey and Kentucky. I consider it as 

 a species generally overlooked in America, confounded with, or mis- 

 taken for, the Red-eyed Vireo ; but I have not been able to ascertain 

 its range with us, although I strongly suspect that it proceeds very 

 far northward as well as westward. 



A remarkable difference between this and the Red-eyed Vireo is, 

 that it rarely if ever ascends even moderately tall trees, as the latter is 

 wont to do, but almost constantly remains in low and close thickets, in 

 the manner of the White-eyed Vireo, of the petulance and activity of 

 which it also possesses a portion, as well as its disregard of the ap- 

 proach of man, or indeed of any other intruder. I have not unfrequently 

 remained a considerable time, within a few yards of one, listening with 

 delight to its sweetly varied and plaintive notes, which it poured forth 

 just as if no enemy were near, and now and then peeped at me as if it 

 wished that we were better acquainted. 



The nest of this bird is seldom placed at a greater height from the 

 ground than four feet. In two instances T have found it attached to 

 two strong blades of coarse grass growing from beneath a thicket of 

 brambles, not above two feet from the earth. It is truly pensile, about 

 three inches deep, and formed wholly of slender grasses and fibrous 

 roots. The eggs are usually pure white, without any spots or dots. 



