SOLITARY VIREO. BLUE HEADED VIREO. 
81 
the first of May. Although quite generally distributed in this section, they are rather local in 
New England, being exceedingly rare in some localities, while commonly found in others. In 
the North as in the South these birds are found in close swampy thickets, where they may be at 
once detected by their singular note. Mr. Philip H. Gosse, in his "Birds of Jamaica,” says that 
the song of the "Whip Tom Kelly” ( V. barbatula ) does not in the least resemble the syllables 
of which its name is composed; I have thought that perhaps the originator of the name heard 
the White-eyed Vireo, while he had the bxrbatula in mind, for the song of JSToveboracensis quite 
closely resembles these words pronounced with a decided accent on the "Kelly.” Besides these 
notes they emit a querulous one of alarm or annoyance when intruded upon. These birds nest 
in Massachusetts in June, bring out their young in July, and depart south early in autumn. 
VIREO SOLITARIUS. 
Solitary Vireo. Blue-headed Vireo. 
Vireo solitarius Vieili.., Nouv. Diet., xi; 1817. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Sp. Ch. Form, robust. Size, medium. Bill, quite short. Steruum, rather strongly built. Tongue, thin, 
horny, rather acuminate; tip, quite deeply cleft and provided with cilia which extend along the sides for a short 
distance. 
Color. Adult. Above, very dark olivaceous-green, with the wings and tail dark brown edged with greenish. 
Wing coverts, tipped with white, forming bars. The outer webs of the tertiaries, outer and inner webs of outer tail 
feathers and inner webs of many others are also edged with it. Top and sides of head, dark slaty-blue. Under wing 
coverts, axillaries, sides and flanks, yellowish-green. Line from bill to eye, ring around the latter and under parts, 
including under tail coverts, pure white. 
Young and nestlings, paler. The green of the back is obscured with dusky, and the top of the head with 
greenish. The white of the wings and tail is rather more extended. The under parts are also washed with 
greenish. Sexes, similar. Irides, brown. Bill, dark brown on the upper mandible, bluish on the lower. Eeet, blue 
in all stages. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
Easily known by the conspicuous blue head and white ring around the eye. This latter character is quite 
variable, being larger in some specimens than in others. Northern United States during the breeding season; 
winters in more southern sections. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Average measurements of six specimens. Length, 5-55; stretch, 9-20; wing, 3-00; tail, 2-20; bill, -45; tarsus, 
•74. Longest specimen, 6-00; greatest extent of wings, 9-75; longest wing, 3-30; tail, 2-40; bill, -49; tarsus, -78. 
Shortest specimen, 5-00; smallest extent of wings, 8-35; shortest wing, 2-80; tail, 1-94; bill, -40; tarsus, '70. 
DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 
Nest. A specimen found by Mr. Brewster about ten feet from the ground in an oak was composed of fibrous 
bark covered with that of birch; lined with pine leaves. Dimensions: external diameter, 3 inches, internal, 2; 
external depth, 2 inches, internal, D50. 
Eggs, from Mr. Brewster’s nest, four in number, oval in form, pure white in color, sparsely spotted with black. 
Dimensions, from -78 x - 55 to ’80 x *57. Mr. Brewster thinks the eggs of this species are apt to be rounder than those 
of other Vireos. 
HABITS. 
The solitary Vireos are quite abundant in the hummocks of the more northern sections of 
Florida, and although seldom seen in the piny woods of these parts, I never found them elsewhere 
in the vicinity of Miami. They usually accompany the various species of Warblers and are 
always silent. They migrate northward quite early in spring, being the first of the family which 
appear in New England, for they are often seen during the latter part of April. Here they are 
no longer noiseless, but make the woods ring with their loud and often repeated song. These 
birds are truly a sylvan species, seldom being found, while in the north, out of the thick groves. 
BIRDS OF FLORIDA. 11 
