HABITS OS- VIEEO VICINIOE 519 



has remained unique till the rediscovery of the species during 

 the past season in New Mexico and Arizona. Judging from the 

 wide separation of the localities at which the six specimens 

 were taken, it appears to be a widely distributed species, 

 though everywhere rare. It would appear not to be a bird of 

 the mountains, but, in respect to elevation, to occupy a posi- 

 tion somewhat intermediate between the higher districts and 

 the low valleys. The rocky hills, covered with a scanty growth 

 of bushes and scrub, are its favorite haunts, and it was in such 

 localities that all our specimens were obtained. They are not 

 specially active in their motions, but glean their insect food from 

 among the branches with the same deliberation of movement and 

 ease that mark the habits of the vireos generally ; but in their 

 choice of hunting ground they are rather peculiar. They do 

 not, like the Solitary Vireo and its allies, frequent the tops of the 

 larger trees, nor, like the "White-eyed and Bell's Vireo, keep 

 close to the ground, but move about constantly in the tops of the 

 bushes from six to twelve feet in height. On the Colorado Chi- 

 quito River, in New Mexico, July 8, 1 found a family of these 

 birds, the young, though fledged, being still dependent on the 

 old for food. Upon approaching the bush in which they were 

 lodged, the parents manifested the utmost solicitude, and flew 

 to meet me, uttering a variety of notes, now flying to the edge 

 of the thicket, and remonstrating with me with harsh cries of 

 anger and alarm, now returning to their young, and with earn- 

 est warning notes endeavoring to lead them away from a spot 

 which to them seemed fraught with danger. My suspicions that 

 they were not the Plumbeous Vireos had at first been aroused 

 by hearing the song, which seemed to me one of the most beau- 

 tiful I had ever heard from any of the family. It might per- 

 haps be best compared with the finest efforts of the Solitary 

 Vireo, yet to the beauty and variety of notes of that bird it had 

 added all the charm and mellowness of expression which is 

 pre-eminent in the song of the Yellow-throated Vireo. During 

 the few moments I spent in observing their actions, the female 

 led away two of the brood, leaving the male with two of the 

 nestlings, which I secured. Fall specimens differ from the type 

 which is in summer dress only in having the lower dorsal sur- 

 face, rump, upper tail-coverts, and outer webs of the inner sec- 

 ondaries, except the exterior pair, washed faintly with green, 

 which is also just perceptible on the sides and flanks. The 

 young in the first plumage do not differ materially from the 

 adult." 



