304 



THE WHITE-EYED VIREO. 



north to southern New England and Minnesota; south in winter from Florida to 

 Guatemala and Honduras. Breeds from Florida and the Gulf States northward. 

 Range in Ohio. — Common in southern, rare in central Ohio. Reported regu- 

 larly from northeastern part of state (Cuyahoga and Ashtabula Counties). 



THE manners of this "well-connected" bird have evidently suffered 

 through close association with that "prince of mountebanks," the Yellow- 

 breasted Chat. Like the larger mime the Vireo frecpients brushy ravines and 

 thickets at the edge of the woods, where he prowls and pries and practices 

 all the tricks of the lightning change artist, and is readv at any time to join 

 his voice in a volley of abuse levelled at the chance intruder. If vou are not 

 apprised of his presence by a sharp click heard in the depths of the thicket, 

 the feathered farceur will mount a nodding wand and throw the succession 

 of vocal somersaults wdiich he calls his song. Tup to zvcc-o, chipiti burtuck, 

 comes with surprising energy and distinctness from so small a throat and you 

 are ready to follow at once upon the chase to which the wary bird invites you. 

 Mimicry is the White-eye's specialty. He follows it not only from a 

 desire to be tuneful but from sheer love of mischief. Once, in Law-rence 



Count}^, we 

 heard a re- 

 markable suc- 

 cess i o n of 

 sounds com- 

 ing we knew 

 not whence. 

 The ravine 

 \\as full of 

 liirrls and we 

 s u r m i s e d 

 Chat and 

 Catbird and 

 MockinglDird, 

 until we came 

 at last upon 

 the center of 

 attraction. A 

 AA" h i t e-e y e d 

 V i r e o w a s 

 hopping to 



and fro upon a willow branch and singing vociferously while birds of half 

 a dozen other species were ranged about him giving rapt attention, — among 

 them a jealous Catbird, who listened with bill agape and drooping wings. 



Taken in Morgan County. Photo by the Author. 



"THE WHITE-KYED VIREO BUILDS EOW." 



