206 BIRDS OF THE WORLD 



markings on wings or tail, and has an orange-coloured 

 crown bordered by black lines at the sides. This bird 

 is common in our Eastern States, but is seldom seen 

 on account of its retiring disposition. He has a liquid, 

 melodious song, "the very force of which carries him 

 up into the air among the tree-tops." 



ViEEOS 



The Vireos constitute a family, embracing many 

 species, of small, insectivorous birds that are peculiar 

 to America. Their characteristic colour is olive-green, 

 and on this account they are also called Greenlets. 

 The Vireos inhabit both trees and undergrowth, and 

 most of them have very melodious songs. Unlike 

 many of the other insect-eating birds, they are rather 

 slow in their motions, and obtain their food by glean- 

 ing the under surface of leaves and prying larvae from 

 crevices in the bark, rather than by darting after it 

 in the manner of the Flycatchers. The Vireos are 

 migratory, many species spending the summer in the 

 United States and in the autumn returning to their 

 home in the West Indies and South America. 



A common species in eastern North America is the 

 Red-eyed Vireo, or Greenlet, whose plumage is olive- 

 green above, with a slaty-grey crown, and a conspicu- 

 ous white line over the eye. The under parts are pure 

 white. A distinguishing character of this bird is its 

 red iris. Like most of its relatives, the Red-eyed 

 Vireo is a fine singer, and like them also, but in this 

 character differing from most other birds, it sings 

 while weaving its pensile nest of grasses, lichens, and 

 so on. 1 



