BLACK FLYCATCHER; PHAINO- 

 PEPLA (Phainopepla nitens) 



Leiiyth, about 7'j inches. Tlie gluss}' black 

 coUir and marked crest r.f the male and the 

 brownish gray of the female, also crested, dis- 

 tinguish this species. 



Range: IJreeds from central California, Ne- 

 vada, Utah, and southwestern Texas south- 

 ward; winters from southern California south- 

 ward. 



Though a distant relative of the cedar bird, 

 the phaino])epla differs markedly from that 

 species both in appearance and habits. It is 

 known to few, for it lives chiefly in the desert 

 country of the Southwest, though it is not 

 wholly a stranger in the parks and gardens of 

 that region. When flying the white wing-patch 

 becomes conspicuous and distinguishes tiie bird 

 from all others. In the fall it is not unusual 

 to find it in loose flocks the members of which 

 are drawn temporarily together, perhaps by the 

 abundance of some favorite food. Like the 

 cedar bird, it is essentially a berry eater, and 

 in California sometimes makes free of the 

 cherry crop. Its chief dependence, however, is 

 the mistletoe, the mucilaginous berries of which 

 delight it, as also do those of the juniper and 

 pepper. Its partiality for mistletoe is probably 

 the Ijird's worst trait, as it distributes the seeds 

 of this pernicious parasite to the detriment of 

 many bne oaks and sycamores. It eats many 

 insects, principally ants, and has the habit of 

 lierching on a tall shrub, from which it sallies 

 forth after flying insects, thus simulating a 

 flycatcher. The phainopepla has a variety of 

 call notes and a \'ery pletisant song. 



YELLOW-THROATED VIREO 



(Lanivireo flavifrons) 



Length, about 6 inches. Its green upper 

 parts and bright yellow throat and upper breast 

 are its identification marks. 



Range: lireeds from southern Canada south 

 to central Te.xas, central Louisiana, and central 

 Florida ; winters froin southern Mexico through 

 Central America. 



By no means so common as the red-eye, the 

 \ellow-throat inhabits the same kind of wood- 

 land tracts and, like it, may often be seen, and 

 still oftener heard, in the trees that shade the 

 village or even the city streets. It is, however, 

 much less common in such places since the ad- 

 \"ent of the English sparrow, having been 

 driven away by that little pest. Its song is 

 much like that of the red-eye, yet it has a rich 

 throaty quality quite foreign to the notes of 

 that tireless songster and far superior to them. 

 Neither this nor indeed any of the vireos ever 

 seem to be in a hurry. They move quietly 

 through the leafy covert, scanning the most 

 likely lurking places for insects, pausing now 

 and then to sing in a meditative manner, then 

 renewing their ciuest. All of which is as dif- 

 ferent as possible from the busy, nervous move- 

 ments of the wood warblers, that seem ever in 

 haste as though time were much too precious 

 to waste. 



The food of the yellow-throat consists of a 

 large variety of insects, including caterpillars, 

 moths, and beetles, and flies and tnosqnitoes. 



RED-EYED VIREO (Vireosylva olivacea) 



Length, about 6M inches. Tlie siat.\- gray 

 crown inclosed by narrow lilack lines serves to 

 identify this vireo. 



Range: Breeds from central Canada south to 

 southeastern Washington, southern Montana, 

 eastern Wyoming, eastern Colorado, western 

 Texas, and central Florida; winters in South 

 America. 



The red-eye is one of the commonest not 

 only of our vireos, but also of all our small 

 birds, and inhabits every suitable piece of 

 woodland throughout its territory. Its notes 

 ma>' be frequently heard coming from the vil- 

 lage shade trees; city parks and streets also 

 knnw it. Its most notable trait is its habit of 

 singing almost continuously as it moves slowly 

 through the branches, pausing now and then to 

 pick up a caterpillar or other insect. In woods 

 where these vireos are common its voice may 

 lie heard all the livelong day, even during the 

 noon hours, when most birds are silently rest- 

 ing. The nest, suspended in a A'-shaped fork, 

 is a beautiful specimen of avian architecture, 

 and so indifferent is the bird to its li'cation 

 that the nest of no other bird is so frequently 

 seen by the chance passer-by. 



Though fond of mulberries and sassafras 

 berries, the red-eye eats insects by preference, 

 and spends most of its time gleaning the 

 branches for plant lice, scales and caterpillars 

 of various kinds. It eats such harmful beetles 

 as the long-horned borers and weevils. I once 

 saw a red-eye with a fidl-grown luna moth in 

 its hill. .Vfter vigorously beating the helpless 

 moth on a limb to get rid of the wings, the 

 bird succeeded in reducing the enormous body 

 to a formless mass which it e\'entually swal- 

 lowed. 



LARK SPARROW (Chondestes 



grammacus and .subspecies) 



Length, about 6;4 inches. The variegated 

 head markings and white outer tail feathers 

 distinguish this species. 



Range : From western Pennsylvania and 

 western Maryland and the Mississippi Valley 

 westward, and from southern British Columbia 

 and southern Saskatchewan to central Ala- 

 bama, northern Louisiana, Texas, and south 

 into Mexico; winters from northern California, 

 southern Texas, and southern Alississippi to 

 Guatemala. 



With some of the habits of the grass finch 

 and, like that species, having the tail feathers 

 tipped with white, the lark sparrow vet pos- 

 sesses distinctive traits of its own, and after 

 a little scrutiny can be mistaken for no other 

 species. Its peculiar head markings ha\e sug- 

 gested the local western name of '"snake bird," 

 althou,gh the reason is not quite obvious. The 

 lark (nich is usually very abundant where 

 found at all, and inhabits the open country, 

 prairie, plain, and desert. It is a reallv fine 

 songster and the possession of a musical" voice 

 has led to its capture and sale as a cage bird. 



It has iieculiar claims on the interest of the 

 western farmer since it is to be classed in the 

 front rank of sparrows as a destroyer of grass- 

 hoppers. 



34 



