YELLOW-THROATED VIREO. 1 75 



of recognition, 'prreaigh ''prreaigh. These syllables rise and 

 fall in different tones as they are repeated, but though usually 

 sweet and impressive, are delivered too slow and solemn to be 

 generally pleasing. In other respects they considerably resem- 

 ble the song of the Red- Eyed Warbling Flycatcher, in whose 

 company it is often heard, blending its deep but languid 

 warble with the loud, energetic notes of the latter ; and their 

 united music, uttered during summer, even at noonday, is 

 rendered peculiarly agreeable, as nearly all the songsters of 

 the grove are now seeking a silent shelter from the sultry heat. 

 In the warmest weather the lay of this bird is indeed peculiarly 

 strong and lively ; and his usually long-drawn, almost plaintive 

 notes, are now delivered in fine succession, with a peculiar 

 echoing and impressive musical cadence, appearing like a 

 romantic and tender revery of delight. The song, now almost 

 incessant, heard from this roving sylvan minstrel is varied in 

 bars nearly as follows : pred pred preoi, preait preoit frrtweet 

 preeai, pewai praiou, preeai preeo praoit, preeo predwit preeoo. 

 When irritated, he utters a very loud and hoarse mewing 

 pratgh pra'tgh. As soon, however, as the warm weather begins 

 to decline, and the business of incubation is finished, about 

 the beginning of August, this sad and slow but interesting 

 musician nearly ceases his song, a few feeble farewell notes 

 only being heard to the first week in September. 



This species, like the rest of the genus, constructs a very 

 beautiful pendulous nest about 3 inches deep and 2}^ in 

 diameter. One, which I now more particularly describe, is 

 suspended from the forked twig of an oak in the near neigh- 

 borhood of a dwelling-house in the country. It is attached 

 Srmly all round the curving twigs by which it is supported ; 

 the stoutest external materials or skeleton of the fabric is 

 formed of interlaced folds of thin strips of red cedar bark, 

 connected very intimately by coarse threads and small masses 

 of the silk of spiders' nests and of the cocoons of large moths. 

 These threads are moistened by the glutinous saliva of the 

 bird. Among these external materials are also blended fine 

 blades of dry grass. The inside is thickly bedded with this 



