156 PHILADELPHIA VIREO. 



Arrives from the south often the last week in April. Breeds throughout 

 the United States, but rare north of Massachusetts in New England. Fre- 

 quents the trees by roadsides, often in towns and cities. Poplar trees are its fa- 

 vorites, however. 



So>g. A continuous warble, given very sweetly, but uttered with no 

 distinct syllabication from beginning to end. Although the opening cotes re- 

 semble those of the puiple finch, the conclusion of the song is quite differ- 

 ent. It has less of the vireo intonation than any of the species of the 

 family which occurs Avith us. 



Nests. Placed in some shade tree by the roadside, often a poplar is chos- 

 en, but of late years I have found these nests as often in maples as else- 



Fig. 75. 



Warbling Vireo. 



where. There is nothing characteristic about either nests or eggs. In fact, 

 all of the eggs deposited by the species in group two are white, more or less 

 spotted and dotted with black. 



The warbling vireo departs for the south in early September, wintering 

 in Mexico. It is rather singular that all of our vireos, excepting in accident- 

 al cases, avoid the West Indies and pass to the south-west to their winter 

 quarters, excepting the solitary and white-eye, some of which winter in 

 Florida. 



3 Philadelphia Yipeo. Rather smaller than the warbling vireo. 

 Similar in general coloration, but rather brighter above and more decidedly 

 yellowish beneath. Skins can always be distinguished by the apparent 

 absence of the outer quill, which is shortened, and misplaced but which is al- 

 ways present in the warbling vireo. 



Although the Philadelphia vireo is not uncommon during the migrations, 

 especially in autumn, in Pennsylvania, it is exceedingly rare in Massachusetts. 



It occurs in Northern New England in summer and breeds there and 

 northward to Hudson Bay, but the nest and eggs have been seldom taken. 

 The song is not unlike that of the red-eye, and to my ear is distinguished 

 from it with difficulty. 



