bell's VIEEO LANIIl)^, SHRIKES. 101 



This neat aad pleasant little bird has a more extensive range than has 

 usnally been attributed to it, but how far it is casual only in some of the 

 localities quoted, remains to be seen. A_ bird of the Eastern Pro\ iiicc, 

 it would certainly not be expected to occur on the Missouri, but this is 

 the case, and gives some color to Audubon's unsupported citation of the 

 Columbia. Eastward I have not traced it beyond Southern New En- 

 gland. I found it in Kansas, with the Eed-eyed and Bell's Vireos. In 

 tbe Middle States it is very abundant from April to October, breeding 

 in shrubbery and moist, tangled places ; although by an unaccountable 

 oversight, it is omitted from Ooues and Prentiss' ^Vashington list, we 

 found it plentiful there every season. It is a bird that seems to affect 

 particular districts and avoid others equally within its general range ; 

 for instance, Mr. Allen did not iind it at Springfield, though it is common 

 enough in some parts of Massachusetts. Nuttall says he saw it in South 

 Carolina in January, and it certainly winters in other of the Southevn 

 States. Its sprightly manners, and loud, clear song, make it a conspic- 

 uous and agreeable bird. 



VIEEO BELLII, Aud. 



Bell's Tirco. 



Vireo bellii, Aud., B. Am. vii, 1844, 333, pi. 485.— Bp., Consp. Av. i, 1850, 330.— Cass., 

 Pr. PMla. Acad. 1851, 150.— WooDH., Sitgr. Rep. 1853, 76.— Bd., B. N. A. 1-58, 

 337.— SCL., Cat. 1861, 4-.^.- Hor, Smiths. Rep. 1864, 438 (Missouri).— Bd., Ecv. 

 1866, 358.— CouES, Ibis, Apr. 1865 (Kansas).— Ridgw., Am. Nat. 1873, 199 (Illi- 

 nois).— Allen, Bull. JI. C. Z. iii, 1872, 176.— CouES, Key N. A. Birds, 1873, 123, 

 fig. 40. — Snow, B. Kans. 1873, 5 (common). — Trippe, Pr. Bost. See. xv, 1872, 

 236 (Decatur County, Iowa).— B. B. & R., N. A. B. i, 1874, 389. {Not of Coopek.) 



Sat. — Missouri region to Texas. Not observed in Southern Rocky Mountain re^(jD, 

 where replaced by F. pusillus, Coues, a closely related species or variety. East to 

 prairies of Illinois {JRidgway). South to Tehuantepeo, Mexico (Sumichrast). 



This species, originally described from the Upper Missouri (Fort Union, 

 &c.), appears to have been overlooked by Dr. Hayden. Both Mr. Allen 

 aud myself found it abundant in Kansas ; others have noted its occur- 

 rence in Missouri, Arkansas, and in Texas. Mr. Eidgway has lately an- 

 nounced its presence in Illinois, the easternmost locality as yet recorded. 

 According to Mr. Trippe, as above cited, it breeds abundantly in Deca- 

 tur County, Iowa, where it is the commonest species of the genus. "It 

 arrives the second week in May, and is seldom seen after the middle of 

 August. In its habits it bears a strong resemblance to the White-eyed 

 Vireo, preferring the thickets and underbrush to the trees. Its notes 

 are quite different from those of any other Vireo, being somewhat like 

 those of the Blue-bird in early spring, but quicker and more hurried." 



In its manners and general habits it is nearly a counterpart of V. no- 

 veboracensis, to which it is also similar in physical character, although 

 bearing a still closer resemblance to V. gilvus. 



/ 



Family LANIID^ : Shrikes. 



COLLUEIO BOEEALIS, (Vieill.) Bd. 

 Butcher Bird; Jforthern Shrike. 



Lanius exeuMtor, For.ST., Phil. Trans. Ixii, 1772, 382. — ^Wu^., Am. Orn. i, 1803, 74, pi. 



5, fig. 1.— Aud., Orn. Biog. ii, 1834, 534, pi. 192. (Not of European writers.) 

 Lanius iorealli, Vielll., Ois. Am. Sept. i, 1807, 90, pi. 50.— Sw. & Rich., F. B. A. ii, l■^:;l, 



111, pi. 33.-AuD.,^^ga^^|3^,^|7^^^^^.^^^m. iv, 1842, 130, pi. 236.-GiK., 



