BLACK FLYCATCHER; PHAINOPEPLA 

 (Phainopepla nitens j. 



Length, about l\ inches. The glossy black color 

 and marked crest of the male and the brownish 

 gray of the female, also crested, distinguish this 

 species. 



Range: Breeds from central California, Nevada, 

 Utah, and southwestern Texas southward; winters 

 from southern California southward. 



Though a distant relative of the cedar bird, the 

 phainopepla differs markedly from that species both 

 in appearance and habits. It is known to few, for it 

 lives chiefly in the desert country of the southwest, 

 though it is not wholly a stranger in the parks and 

 gardens of that region. When flying the white wing- 

 patch becomes conspicuous and distinguishes the 

 bird from all others. In the fall it is not unusual to 

 find it in loose flocks the members of which are drawn 

 temporarily together, perhaps by the abundance of 

 some favorite food. Like the cedar bird, it is essen- 

 tially a berry eater, and in California sometimes 

 makes free of the cherry crop. Its chief dependence, 

 however, is the mistletoe, the mucilaginous berries 

 of which delight it, as also do those of the juniper 

 and pepper. Its partiality for mistletoe is probably 

 the bird s worst trait, as it distributes the seeds of 

 this pernicious parasite to the detriment of many 

 fine oaks and sycamores. It eats many insects, 

 principally ants, and has the habit of perching on a 

 tall shrub, from which it sallies forth after flying 

 insects, thus simulating a flycatcher. It is this habit 

 which has given the bird its common name. The 

 phainopepla has a variety of call notes and a very 

 pleasant song. 



RED-EYED VIREO (Vireosylva olivacea). 



Length, about 6j inches. The slaty gray crown 

 enclosed by narrow black lines serves to identify 

 this vireo. 



Range: Breeds from central Canada south to 

 southeastern Washington, southern Montana, east- 

 ern Wyoming, eastern Colorado, western Texas, 

 and central Florida; winters in South America. 



The red-eye is one of the commonest not only of 

 our vireos but also of all our small birds, and inhabits 

 every suitable piece of woodland throughout its 

 territory. Its notes may be frequently heard coming 

 from the village shade trees: city parks and streets 

 also know it. Its most notable trait is its habit of 

 singing almost continuously as it moves slowly 

 through the branches, pausing now and then to 

 pick up a caterpillar or other insect. In woods where 

 these vireos are common its voice may be heard all 

 the livelong day, even during the noon hours when 

 most birds are silently resting. The nest, suspended 

 in a V-shaped fork, is a beautiful specimen of avian 

 architecture, and so indifferent is the bird to its 

 location that the nest of no other bird is so fre- 

 quently seen by the chance passerby. 



Though fond of mulberries and sassafras berries, 

 the red-eye eats insects by preference, and spends 

 most of its time gleaning the branches for plant lice 

 scales and caterpillars of various kinds. It eats 

 such harmful beetles as the long-horned borers 

 and weevils. I once saw a red-eye with a full grown 

 luna moth in its bill. After vigorously beating the 

 helpless moth on a limb to get rid of the wings the 

 bird succeeded in reducing the enormous body to a 

 formless mass and eventually swallowed it. 



(See Bull. 17, p. 23.) 



YELLOW-THROATED VIREO (Lanivireo 

 flavifrons). 



Length, about 6 inches. Its green upper parts and 

 bright yellow throat and upper breast are its identi- 

 fication marks. 



Range" Breeds from southern Canada south to 

 central Texas, central Louisiana and central Florida; 

 winters from southern Mexico through Central 

 America. 



By no means so common as the red-eye, the yellow- 

 throat inhabits the same kind of woodland tracts 

 and like it may often be seen, and still oftener heard, 

 in the trees that shade the village or even the city 

 streets. It is, however, much less common in such 

 places since the advent of the English sparrow, hav- 

 ing been driven away by that little pest. Its song 

 is much like that of the red-eye, yet it has a rich 

 throaty quality quite foreign to the notes of that 

 tireless songster and far superior to them. Neither 

 this, nor indeed any of the vireos, ever seem to be in 

 a hurry. They move quietly through the leafy 

 covert, scanning the most likely lurking places for 

 insects, pausing now and then to sing in a meditative 

 manner, then renewing their quest. All of which is 

 as different as possible from the busy, nervous move- 

 ments of the wood warblers, that seem ever in haste 

 as though time were much too precious to waste. 



The food of the yellow-throat consists of a large 

 variety of insects, including caterpillars, moths and 

 beetles, and also those well-known pests, flies and 

 mosquitoes. It also eats the plum curculio. 



LARK SPARROW (Chondestes grammacus 



and sub-species). 



Length, about 6| inches. The variegated head 

 markings and white outer tail feathers distinguish 

 this species. 



Range: From western Pennsylvania and western 

 Maryland and the Mississippi valley westward; and 

 from southern British Columbia and southern Sas- 

 katchewan to central Alabama, northern Louisiana, 

 Texas and south into Mexico; winters from northern 

 California, southern Texas and southern Mississippi 

 to Guatemala. 



With some of the habits of the grass finch and, 

 like that species, having the tail feathers tipped with 

 white, the lark sparrow yet possesses distinctive 

 traits of its own and after a little scrutiny can be 

 mistaken for no other species. Its peculiar head 

 markings have suggested the local western name 

 of "snake bird." although the reason is not quite 

 obvious. The lark finch is usually very abundant 

 where found at all, and inhabits the open country, 

 prairie, plain, and desert. It is often to be seen 

 running along the dusty roads or perching on the 

 roadside bushes and fences. It is a really fine 

 songster and the possession of a musical voice has 

 led to its capture and sale as a cage bird. 



It has peculiar claims on the interest of the west- 

 ern farmer since it is to be classed in the front rank 

 of sparrows as a destroyer of grasshoppers. These 

 harmful insects and others constitute about a third 

 of its food for the year, while weed seeds of great 

 variety form the other two thirds. 



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