148 
THE WHITE-EYED YIREO. 
whole continent, Mr. Townsend having met with it on the Columbia river. 
Along our Atlantic districts it is found sparingly in summer as far as Nova 
Scotia, and a few were seen by me in Labrador. The eggs measure four- 
eighths and three-fourths in length, and half an inch in breadth. 
The figure of a male has been given on a branch of the tree called in 
Louisiana the Pride of China, an ornamental plant, with fragrant flowers. 
The wood is extremely valuable on account of its great durability, and is 
employed for making posts and rails for the fences. Being capable of 
receiving a beautiful polish, it is also frequently made into various articles 
of furniture. For these reasons, the planters have found it expedient to 
adopt measures for increasing the propagation of this tree. It bears a pulpy 
fruit inclosing a hard seed, which is swallowed by different birds during 
the winter months. It has been thought deleterious, but without reason. 
A decoction of the root is used by the planters as an effectual vermifuge. 
"White-eyed Flycatcher, Muscicapa cantatrix , Wils. Amer. Orn., vol. ii. p. 266. 
Vireo noveboracensis, Bonap. Syn., p. 70. 
White-eyed Yireo or Flycatcher, Vireo noveboracensis , Nutt. Man., vol. i. p. 806. 
White-eyed Flycatcher or Yireo, Vireo noveboracensis, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. i. 
p. 328 ; vol. v. p. 431, 433. 
Male, 5, 7. 
Throughout the United States and Nova Scotia. Columbia river. Mi- 
gratory, but great numbers spend the winter in the Southern States. 
Adult Male. 
Bill shortish, nearly straight, rather strong, conico-acuminate, compressed 
towards the end ; upper mandible slightly notched, and a little deflected at 
the tip ; lower mandible ascending at the tip. Nostrils basal, rounded. 
Head and neck of ordinary size ; body rather slender. Feet of ordinary 
length, slender ; tarsus anteriorly scutellate ; lateral toes nearly equal. 
Plumage blended, soft and tufty. Wings shortish, the third quill 
longest. Tail even, of twelve rounded feathers. 
Upper mandible blackish-blue, lower light blue. Iris white. Feet grey- 
ish-blue. The general colour of the upper parts is light olive, the head 
greener. Sides of the head, including a line above the eye, and the loral 
space, bright yellow. Quills, large coverts, and tail, wood-brown, the quills 
edged externally with greenish-yellow, the larger coverts tipped with white, 
forming two bands. Sides of the neck tinged with bluish-grey ; the under 
parts greyish-white, excepting the sides, which are yellow. 
Length 5 inches, extent of wings 7 ; bill along the ridge yv, along th 
gap fi. 
The female scarcely differs from the male in external appearance 
