THE RED-EYED VIREO. 



295 



itself easily in 

 the foliage of 

 the upper 

 branches ; but 

 the voice of 

 good cheer, 

 Vireo - viree - 

 vireoo, fre- 

 quently repeat- 

 ed, is enough, 

 not only to res- 

 cue the bird 

 from oblivion, 

 but to immor- 

 talize it. 



The Red-eye 

 does occasion- 

 ally make itself 

 heard in isolat- 

 ed pasture elms 

 and among 

 the shade-trees 

 of the city, but 

 its normal 

 range is in the 

 deeper woods 

 and groves. 

 Here it moves 

 in a leisurely 

 manner from 

 bi o u g h to 

 bough, examin- 

 ing critically 

 each leaf and 



bud, or making little sallies after insect prey. Its soliloquizing notes are often 

 uttered — always in single phrases of from two to four syllables each — while 

 the bird is busily hunting, and serve to mark an overflow of good spirits rather 

 than a studied attempt at song. There is about them also an interrogative 

 character which Wilson Flagg has paraphrased, "You see it — you know it — 

 do you hear me? — do you believe it?" "The Preacher" not infrequently en- 

 forces his homilies by hopping down slowly from the tree-tops and bringing 

 the truth home to his hearers. The bird's inquisitiveness is often his salva- 



Taken near BJyria. 



Photo by the Author. 



"DO YOU HEAR ME? DO YOU BELIEVE IT? 



