148 THE WHITE-EYED VIREO. 



whole continent, Mr. Townsend having met with it on the Columbia river. 

 Along our Atlantic districts it is found sparingly in summer as far as Nova 

 Scotia, and a few were seen by me in Labrador. The eggs measure four- 

 eighths and three-fourths in length, and half an inch in breadth. 



The figure of a male has been given on a branch of the tree called in 

 Louisiana the Pride of China, an ornamental plant, with fragrant flowers. 

 The wood is extremely valuable on account of its great durability, and is 

 employed for making posts and rails for the fences. Being capable of 

 receiving a beautiful polish, it is also frequently made into various articles 

 of furniture. For these reasons, the planters have found it expedient to 

 adopt measures for increasing the propagation of this tree. It bears a pulpy 

 fruit inclosing a hard seed, which is swallowed by different birds during the 

 winter months. It has been thought deleterious, but without reason. A 

 decoction of the root is used by the planters as an effectual vermifuge. 



White-eyed Flycatcher, Muscicapa cantatrix, Wils. Amer. Orn., vol. ii. p. 266. 

 Vireo noveboracensis, Bonap. Syn., p. 70. 



White-eyed Vireo or Flycatcher, Vireo noveboracensis, Nutt. Man., vol. i. p. 806. 

 White-eyed Flycatcher or Vireo, Vireo noveboracensis, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. i. p. 

 328; vol. v. p. 431,433. 



Male, 5, 7. 



Throughout the United States and Nova Scotia. Columbia river. Mi- 

 gratory, but great numbers spend the winter in the Southern States. 



Adult Male. 



Bill shortish, nearly straight, rather strong, conico-acuminate, compressed 

 towards the end; upper mandible slightly notched, and a little deflected at 

 the tip; lower mandible ascending at the tip. Nostrils basal, rounded. 

 Head and neck of ordinary size; body rather slender. Feet of ordinary 

 length, slender; tarsus anteriorly scutellate; lateral toes nearly equal. 



Plumage blended, soft and tufty. Wings shortish, the third quill longest. 

 Tail even, of twelve rounded feathers. 



Upper mandible blackish-blue, lower light blue. Iris white. Feet grey- 

 ish-blue. The general colour of the upper parts is light olive, the head 

 greener. Sides of the head, including a line above the eye, and the loral 

 space, bright yellow. "jQuills, large coverts, and tail, wood-brown, the quills 

 edged externally with greenish-yellow, the larger coverts tipped with white, 

 forming two bands. Sides of the neck tinged with bluish-grey; the under 

 parts greyish-white, excepting the sides, which are yellow. 



Length 5 inches, extent of wings 7; bill along the ridge -^j, along the 



g a P tV 



The female scarcely differs from the male in external appearance. 



