130 BIRDS OF NEW ENGLAND AND EASTERN NEW YORK 



When singing, the male sits on a twig, his long bill open, 

 uttering again and again the thin, wiry notes which consti- 

 tute his song, wee-see', wee-see', wee-see', wee-spe'. In the 

 height of the breeding season there is often an intermediate 

 portion of the song in a lower key. Both birds utter a chat' 

 taring note when excited, but I have never heard the great 

 variety of notes which has been attributed to this species. 

 After a period of silence in early August, the song may oc- 

 casionally be heard again. 



The Black and White Warbler may possibly be confused 

 with the Black-poll Warbler in spring, or with the Downy 

 Woodpecker. Prom the former, its manner of feeding and 

 the broad white stripe through its crown should distinguish 

 it (see Kg. 16, p. 115) ; from the latter it may be distin- 

 guished by its smaller size, slender bill, and by the absence 

 of a broad white stripe down the back (see Fig. 16, p. 115). 

 In strong light the contrast of the lustrous black and the 

 white gives the male almost a bluish look. 



VIREOS : FAMILY VIREONID^ 



Four Vireos occur in summer in nearly all southern New 

 York and New England, and another species passes through 

 as a migrant. In northern New York and New England, 

 especially in the upland, only two are common. The Eed- 

 eyed Vireo is universally distributed ; it occurs wherever 

 there are trees. The White-eyed Vireo breeds commonly 

 in low thickets as far north as southern Rhode Island and 

 Connecticut, and rarely in eastern Massachusetts. The 

 Yellow-throated and Warbling Vireos are birds of the 

 shade trees in village streets, or tall trees in groves or along 

 streams. The Solitary Vireo occurs in summer in the cool 

 northern woods, and as a migrant in the rest of New York 

 and New England. The Vireos feed in trees, hopping and 

 flying from one twig to another, keeping in fairly constant 



