The Hatton Vireo 
consistently through the entire family of Vireos, science makes no con¬ 
jecture. It simply and delightfully is. 
That the birds themselves have the highest opinion of their treas¬ 
ures, universal opinion attests. Finding a nest near Pasadena placed 
some fifteen feet up in a 
dead willow sapling, and 
utterly devoid of local 
cover, save the general 
umbrage of taller trees, 
Ave speculated in bewil¬ 
derment as to its affilia¬ 
tions. The nest itself, an 
elegant creation of wil¬ 
low-down, was so placed 
that we could reach and 
control the limb it was 
swung to from an adja¬ 
cent live tree. But it 
was so out of character, 
and the Least Vireos of 
the neighborhood Avere 
so abundant, that w r e 
determined to capture 
the owner, if possible, 
and establish her iden¬ 
tity. Mr. A. B. Howell 
accepted this disagree¬ 
able role , and approached 
the sitting bird by slow 
degrees until he could 
pounce upon her. Seiz¬ 
ing the bird successfully 
by the bill, and with 
some necessary severity, 
he lifted her from the 
nest. We examined the 
wing, saw that the third 
primary was decidedly 
shorter than the fourth, 
and let the bird go. 
While I still held the 
limb in my hand, the 
Taken in Santa Barbara 
Photo by the Author 
YOU SIMPLY DAR’N'T DO IT 
