Nov., 1906 | 
THE OBERHORSER VIREO 
149 
inches. The eggs are ovate in shape, clear white in ground color, with a wreath 
about the large end of each of rather bold spottings of chestnut, hazel and vina- 
ceo us-cinnamon. These markings are more distinct, and therefore more conspicu- 
ous, than in any eggs of V h. huttoni I have ever seen, tho this may not necessa- 
rily be a subspecific trait. The eggs measure, in hundredths of an inch, .70x.53, 
.70x.53, and ,69x.54. 
I find no difficulties in the way of recognizing three forms of the Hutton vireo 
in California; namely; Vireo huttoni huttoni Cassin, which is the form locally 
common west of the Sierras from Redlands ( fide Bishop, l. c .) to the Siskiyou 
Mountains at the extreme northern border of the State (See Anderson and Grin- 
nerr, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sc. Phila., Jan. 1903, page 12); Vireo huttoni oberholseri 
Bishop, so far definitely determined- only from Witch Creek and Escondido, San 
Diego County; and Vireo mailliardorum Grinneix, from Santa Cruz Island (Con- 
dor V, November 1903, page 157). 
Throop Polytechnic Institute, 
Pa sa den a, Cal iforn ia . 
Observations on the Notes and Ways of Two Western Vireos 
BY ANNA HEAD 
T O the readers of The Condor who enjoyed Mr. Finley's beautifully illus- 
trated article on the Cassin and the warbling vireos in the May, 1903, num- 
ber, a few stray notes on points about the details of their domestic life may 
not be without interest. 
My first nest of Vireo gilvus swain soni was shown me by the father, whose 
pretty habit of singing constantly in the neighborhood of the nest, while doubtless 
encouraging to his patient wife, is really dangerous to the safety of the family. 
There was a tall pear tree just out of bloom, which shaded my cabin. Here I 
found the dainty structure, one of the prettiest nests I have ever seen, not except- 
ing that of the Anna hummer. The bird had carefully matched the pale greenish 
white coloration of the under side of the young pear leaves, weaving into the very open 
fiber of the nest bits of lichen and the greenish hanging moss which thrives in the 
moist air of Mendocino County. It was very deep and narrow, almost like an 
oriole’s, and hung from the twigs near the end of a branch about fifteen feet from 
the ground. When the female flew off, the male came and chased her on again 
with harsh scolding notes. They also have a very soft, confidential note that 
sounds like "prit-prit.” When the female is sitting and hears the male approach, 
she gives a low but harsh sound like "ca-a-a-a." This is a good sign to find a 
nest by, but it cannot be heard unless one happens to be quite near. The male, 
when approaching, utters a rapid sputtering or pattering note, very different from 
his true song, which is a warble consisting of three accents, with short notes inter- 
spersed, and ending in a cheerful rising inflection. 
I watched another nest which swung only about six feet up in an alder, 
and here I found that both male and female shared in the duties of incubation. The 
female would raise her head prettily and listen as the song of the male came nearer, 
but only slip off when he was ready to take her place. The bough swayed so that 
it seemed that the eggs would roll out; but I suppose the loose, elastic structure 
of the nest held them in. 
