The Solitary Vireos 
responds roughly with its general surroundings of leaf, moss and lichen. 
In sheltered places, the texture of the nest is so well preserved that 
it may require close inspection the second season to distinguish it from 
a new nest. One such I examined, green with growing moss, and stark 
at the lowermost branch-tip of an unleafed cornel sapling, and I could 
not have determined its age save for a tiny weed-shoot germinating 
from the bottom of the cup. Exterior decoration is the specialty of 
the V. solitarius group, whether it be solitarius proper of the East, or 
V. s. cassini or V. s. plumbeus of the West. White spider-egg cases 
in profusion are the acknowledged acme of elegance, but in default of 
these the bird will use cherry petals, catkins, or bits of paper. 
Mr. J. H. Bowles says further of their nesting habits: “Both 
birds assist in the duties of incubation, the male singing most assiduously 
while on the nest, and usually singing close to his mate while she is 
sitting. His turn at sitting seems to come between nine o’clock in the 
morning and noon, and the nest is not hard to find if his song can be 
traced. The bird student must work quietly, however, as the song 
Taken in San Diego County 
A FEARLESS DEFENSE 
Photo by Dickey 
574 
