THE WARBLING VIREO. 149 



The Pride op China, or Bead-tree. 



Melia Azedarach, Linn., Sp. Plant., p. 550.— Decandria Monogynia, Linn.— Melijl, 

 Juss. 



Distinguished by its bipinnate shining leaves, with ferruginous dots 

 beneath. In the south of Europe, the nuts are bored and strung by the 

 Roman Catholics. 



THE WARBLING VIREO, OR GREENLET. 



H-Vireo gilvus, Vieill. 

 PLATE CCXLL— Male and Female. 



While at the little village, now the city of Camden, in New Jersey, where 

 I had gone for the purpose of watching the passage of certain Warblers on 

 their way north early in the month of May, I took lodgings in a street 

 ornamented with a long avenue of tall Lombardy poplars, one of which 

 almost touched my window. On it too I had the pleasure shortly afterwards 

 of finding the nest of this interesting little bird. Never before had I seen 

 it placed so low, and never before had I an opportunity of examining it, or 

 of observing the particular habits of the species with so much advantage. 

 The nest, although formed nearly in the same manner as several others, 

 which I have since obtained by cutting them down with rifle balls, from the 

 top twigs of the tall trees to which they were attached, instead of being 

 fastened in the fork of a twig, was fixed to the body of the tree, and that of 

 a branch coming off at a very acute angle. The birds were engaged in con- 

 structing it during eight days, working chiefly in the morning and evening. 

 Previous to their selecting the spot, I frequently saw them examining the 

 tree, warbling together as if congratulating each other on their good fortune 

 in finding so snug a place. One morning I observed both of them at work; 

 they had already attached some slender blades of grass to the knots on the 

 branch and the bark of the trunk, and had given them a circular disposition. 

 They continued working downwards and outwards, until the structure 



Vol. IV. 21 



