572 MICHIGAN BIRD LIFE. 
on the back and pale olive-green on the rump; a whitish stripe from nostril over eye, but 
without any dark line above it; side of head and neck grayish-buff, this color extending 
along the sides of breast and body, where it becomes slightly more yellowish, but never really 
yellow; rest of under parts pure white or buffy white; wings and tail plain grayish, the 
exposed edges of feathers glossed with olive-green, but no spots or bars; bill pale brownish, 
lighter below; iris brown. Young birds resemble the adults closely, but are pure white 
below, except the under tail-coverts which are yellowish; the greater wing-coverts tipped 
with buffy. 
Length 6 to 5.50 inches; wing 2.65 to 2.95; tail 2.10 to 2.40; culmen about .42. 
258. Yellow-throated Vireo. Lanivireo flavifrons (Vievll.). (628) 
Synonyms: Yellow-throated Greenlet.—Vireo flavifrons, Vicill., 1807, A. O. U. Check- 
list, 1886, and most other authors.—Lanivireo flavifrons, Lawr., 1856. 
The two white wing-bars and bright yellow throat and breast are dis- 
tinctive. The first primary is not spurious. 
Distribution.—Eastern United States, north to Ontario and Manitoba, 
south in winter to Colombia. Breeds from Florida and the Gulf States 
northward. 
This, our most brightly colored vireo, is generally distributed throughout 
the state, occurring everywhere during migration and nesting with some fre- 
quency in most sections of the state, but apparently more abundantly toward 
the north. It shows a decided preference for heavy hardwood timber, and 
according to many observers nests in oak woods in wet ground. According 
to the writer’s experience it is fully as often found in orchards and along the 
edges of second growth woods, and its nest is as often placed in such situa- 
tions as in the deep forest. Its clear flute-like song and its loud harsh 
scolding notes are characteristic sounds of the summer woods and the 
bird is not likely to pass unnoticed wherever it is at all common. 
The nest does not differ essentially from that of its relatives, but in 
our experience is more lavishly decorated with odd and striking materials 
than that of any other. Not infrequently one is found half covered with 
bits of birch bark, insect cocoons, spiders’ egg-sacs, and tufts of cotton 
or bits of paper, making it a decidedly conspicuous nest. We have found 
the nest at times within six feet of the ground and again at a height of 
forty or fifty feet; ordinarily it is placed from ten to twenty feet up. We 
have never seen one which was not distinctly pensile and if ever built 
otherwise it must be a rare exception. 
The eggs are similar to those of the vireos already described, but aside 
from their somewhat larger size the spots are likely to be rather larger 
and browner. The eggs are commonly three or four, and average .79 
by .58 inches. 
Like all the other members of the family this bird is a voracious insect 
eater and its work is entirely beneficial to the agriculturist. It does eat 
a few wild fruits, but so far as we are aware no case of injury to any culti- 
vated fruit has been recorded. 
By many the song of this bird is considered finer than that of the other 
vireos. Probably there is much individual variation, for the writer has 
heard Solitary Vireos which he could not distinguish from the Yellow- 
throat by the song, while occasional Yellow-throats have clearer, louder 
and sweeter songs than any other species of his acquaintance. Bicknell 
says this is the only vireo which he has known to sing while on the wing. 
The Yellow-throated Vireo is a little late in arriving from the south, 
seldom heing heard, even in the southern part of the state, before the first 
