THE WHITE-EYED VIREO. 



{Vireo noveboracensis.} 



"And then the wren and vireo 

 Begin with song to overflow." 



— Thomas Hill — "Sunrise." 



The vireos form a peculiar and inter- 

 esting family — the Vireonidse, which in- 

 cludes about fifty species. All are strict- 

 ly American and the larger number in- 

 habit only the forest or shrubby regions 

 of Central and' South America. The 

 name vireo signifies a green finch and 

 is from the Latin word meaning "to be 

 green." The body color of nearly all the 

 species is more or less olive green. 



About fifteen species frequent the 

 United States. These are all members 

 of the genus Vireo, and some of them 

 have a wide range, only equaled in ex- 

 tent by some of the warblers. 



Dr. Cones has said of these birds : 

 "Next after the warblers the greenlets 

 (vireos) are the most delightful of our 

 forest birds, though their charms ad- 

 dress the ear and not the eye. Clad in 

 simple tints that harmonize with the 

 verdure, these gentle songsters warble 

 their lays unseen, while the foliage itself 

 seems stirred to music. In the quaint 

 and curious ditty of the white-eye, in the 

 earnest, voluble strains of the red-eye, in 

 the tender secret that the warbling vireo 

 confides in whispers to the passing 

 breeze, he is insensible who does not hear 

 the echo of thoughts he never clothes 

 in words." 



The vireos are strikingly alike. In 

 habit, in color, in structure, in size and 

 in their home-building peculiarities they 

 resemble each other. Their eggs are sim- 

 ilar and "fashioned almost as from the 

 same mold, and colored as if by the same 

 brush." 



The vireos build pensile nests that 

 ingeniously concealed under the sur- 

 rounding foliage. Thev are in the form 

 of a rather deep CUD, which is suspended 

 from two or more converging twigs. The 

 materials used in the construction are 



similar in all cases, though they vary 

 somewhat according to the locality and 

 the abundance of desirable textiles. A 

 favorite substance used by some of the 

 birds is the tough and flexible fibers of 

 the inner bark of trees. Thoreau, speak- 

 ing of this habit, says : "What a wonder- 

 ful genius it is that leads the vireo to 

 select the tough fiber of the inner bark 

 instead of the more brittle grasses !" 



The White-eyed Vireo has an extensive 

 range, extending over the eastern United 

 States from the Atlantic Ocean to the 

 great plains and from Mexico and Guate- 

 mala, where it winters, northward to the 

 borders of British America. It nests 

 practically throughout its range within 

 the United States. 



This pert and trim little bird is known 

 by other suggestive names. Because of 

 the character of its nest it is called the 

 "little green hanging bird." Its song, as 

 translated by boys, has given it the name 

 "chicktv-bearer," or "chickity." Except 

 when nesting this vireo is unsuspecting 

 and will permit a near approach. Dr. 

 Brewer says that "when whistled to it 

 will often stop and eye you with marked 

 curiosity, and even approach a little 

 nearer, as if to obtain a better view, en- 

 tirely unconscious of any danger." Im- 

 pertinent at all times, they are especially 

 so when the nest is approached. At such 

 times it exhibits great uneasiness, and 

 even its expressive eyes seem to flash. 

 Continually scolding the intruder, it ut- 

 ters "a hoarse mewing that is very pecu- 

 liar." 



The nest of the White-eyed Vireo is a 

 beautiful structure. Tt is artistic, dur- 

 able and a wonderfully pretty home for 

 its beautiful architect. It is seldom placed 

 higher than five feet from the ground. 

 Dr. I>rewer thus describes one of these 



I'M 



