278 BIRDS OF ALABAMA 



other beetles, grasshoppers, and leaf -hoppers are eaten to a less 

 extent. This species eats a few unimportant wild berries, such 

 as the fruit of the red cedar.* 



Other observers have noted it feeding on cankerworms, 

 tobacco worms, ants, and spiders. 



BLUE-HEADED VIREO: Lmiivireo solitwrius solitarius 



(Wilson). 



State records. — The blue-headed, or solitary vireo occurs as 

 an uncommon migrant and winter visitant. Brown observed 

 it in some numbers at Ck>osada, where he noted the males 

 beginning to sing on March 6 ; all had departed by March 20.t 

 I collected a specimen at Bayou Labatre, February 7, 1912, 

 the only one seen during the season. A migrant was reported 

 at Shelby, April 4, 1898, and one was seen by Golsan at Au- 

 taugaville, November 25, 1912.$ Specimens were also taken 

 by him at Autaugaville, December 3, 1915, and at Prattville. 

 January 23, 1916, and February 5, 1916. 



General habits, — This vireo resembles the yellow-throated 

 vireo in habits but lives rather in the lower stories of the 

 woodland. Its song which is occasionally heard in spring mi- 

 gration, is rich and sweet, and similar to that of the yellow- 

 throat In winter the bird may be found in swampy thickets 

 or other low situations. 



MOUNTAIN SOLITARY VIREO : Lanivireo solitarius 

 alticola (Brewster). 



State records. — The mountain solitary vireo, a race of the 

 blue-headed vireo, is apparently rare in the State, there being 

 only two records of its occurrence. There is one specimen in 

 the Avery collection, taken October 23, 1890, at Greensboro. 

 Saunders records the species as arriving at Woodbine March 

 14, 1908, and common there from March 21 to April 12 ; one 

 specimen collected by him proved to be of this form.** 



•Forbuah, E. H., Useful Birds and their Protection, p. 208, 1907. 

 tBrown, N. C. Bull. Nutt Ornith. Club, vol. 4, p. 7, 1879. 

 tGolsan and Holt, The Auk, vol. 31, p. 231, 1914. 

 ••Saunders, A. A., The Auk, vol. 25, p. 421, 1908. 



