_Muscicapa noveboracensis_, GM. Syst. Nat. I 1788, 947 (_Green
Flycatcher_, PENNANT, Arctic Zoöl. II, 389). _Vireo noveb._ BON.
Obs. Wilson, 1825.—AUD.; CASSIN.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 338;
Rev. 354.—MAX.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1857, 204 (Xalapa); 228 (Vera
Cruz).—SCLATER & SALVIN, Ibis, II, 1860, 274 (Coban,
Guat.).—JONES, Nat. Bermuda, 1859, 71 (resident).—CAB. Jour. III,
469 (Cuba).—GUNDLACH, Cab. Jour. 1861, 324 (Cuba; rare).—SAMUELS,
Birds N. Eng. 275. _Vireo musicus_, VIEILL. Ois. Am. Sept. I,
1807, 83, pl. liii. _Muscicapa cantatrix_, WILS. II, 1810, 266,
pl. xviii.
Figures: AUD. Orn. Biog. pl. lxiii.—IB. Birds N. A. IV, pl. ccxl.
SP. CHAR. (No. 10,193 ♂, Illinois.) First primary about half the
length of second, which is longer than secondaries, and about equal to
the eighth; the fourth longest; third and fifth little shorter.
Above quite olive-green; sides of neck, and a gloss on its upper
surface, ashy. The middle concealed portion of feathers of lower back
and rump pale sulphur-yellowish. Beneath white; the chin and lower
cheeks with a grayish tinge; the sides of breast and body, with
axillars and base of crissum (more faintly), bright yellow; the inner
wing-coverts and rest of crissum much paler, almost white. A broad
yellow line from nostrils to and continuous with a yellow ring round
the eye, which is encircled exteriorly by olivaceous; a dusky loral,
but no post-ocular spot. Wings with two covert-bands and innermost
secondaries externally, broadly yellowish-white; rest of quills edged
externally with olive, except the two outer and tips of other
primaries, which are grayish. Rectrices edged externally with olive,
except outermost, which is bordered by grayish. All the long quills
bordered internally by whitish. Bill blue-black, paler on the edges;
legs dark plumbeous. Iris white. Total length, 4.90; wing, 2.40; tail,
2.20.
HAB. United States, west to base of Rocky Mountains; south to
Guatemala; Bogota? Very rare in Cuba. Abundant and resident in the
Bermudas.
Specimens vary slightly in a greater amount of ashy on the head, and
less brilliancy of the yellow of head and sides. Sometimes there is a
decided ashy shade in the white of throat and jugulum, which again has
a very faint tinge of yellowish.
HABITS. The White-eyed Vireo is one of the most common and one of the
most widely diffused of its genus in all parts of the United States
east of the Rocky Mountains. It apparently breeds in all parts of the
Union, from Texas and the Indian Territory on the southwest to Iowa
and Wisconsin, and as far to the northeast as Massachusetts. In the
last-named State it becomes exceedingly rare, and beyond it is
apparently not found, none having been met with either by Messrs.
Verrill or Boardman in any part of Maine. In Western Massachusetts it
was not found by Mr. Allen, though it occurs in the eastern part,
along the coast. Mr. Dresser found it common in Western Texas, many
remaining there to breed, and Dr. Woodhouse also found it abundant in
Texas, New Mexico, and the Indian Territory, where it frequented the
thickets bordering on the streams. It breeds abundantly in the
Northwest States of Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin. It also breeds in
the islands of Bermuda.
In the winter months this species retires to the more southern States,
and to Mexico and Central and South America, though Sumichrast does
not give it as occurring in the Department of Vera Cruz. Nuttall found
it in South Carolina in the middle of January, and Wilson met with
them in full song in Georgia in February. The fact that it was seven
weeks after this before they made their appearance in Pennsylvania is
given by that writer as evidence of the gradual progression made by
this species in its movements northward, regulated by the development
of the season. Audubon, however, states the first of March as about
the time of its first appearance in Louisiana. He also mentions that
this species is a constant resident in the Floridas during winter, and
also in the lower portions of Alabama and Georgia. A large number also
pass farther south, as is shown by the abundance of the arrivals in
early spring on the coast of Texas. Mr. Audubon states also that
Townsend met with them on the Columbia River, and that he himself
found them along the coast in Maine, Nova Scotia, and Labrador. This,
however, I am inclined to consider a misstatement, as they have not
since been detected either west of Dakota or north of the 42d
parallel.
This Vireo is one of the most conspicuous singers of this family. Its
songs are more earnest and louder than those of any of our Eastern
species, and exhibit the greatest variations, beginning in the earlier
part of the season with a simple low whistle, but changing in May into
a very quaint and peculiar succession of irregular notes. Some of
these are very softly and sweetly whistled, while others are uttered
with a vehemence and shrillness that seem hardly possible in so small
a bird.
This is an unsuspecting and familiar bird, permitting a near approach,
and when whistled to will often stop and eye you with marked
curiosity, and even approach a little nearer, as if to obtain a better
view, entirely unconscious of any danger. This is not so, however,
when they have a nest. On this occasion they exhibit great uneasiness
when their nest is visited, approaching very near to the intruder,
looking down upon him with marked expressions of uneasiness, and
scolding all the while with great earnestness, and with a hoarse
mewing that is very peculiar. This display is continued even after the
fledglings are full grown and able to take care of themselves.
The food of this species in early summer is almost exclusively small
insects, which it gleans with great assiduity. In Eastern
Massachusetts, like all its kindred, it feeds eagerly upon the young
larvæ of the destructive canker-worm, and doubtless, in the wilder
portions of the country, is of considerable service in restricting the
increase of this scourge.
The White-eyed Vireo may usually be found in wild, swampy, open
grounds, near the edges of woods, and where there are small thickets
of smilax and other briers and wild vines, in the midst of which it
often builds its pensile nest. These nests are rarely, if ever, more
than three or four feet from the ground. Two nests of this bird, one
from Neosho Falls, Kansas, the other from Lynn, Mass., may be taken as
characteristic of the species. They are almost exactly hemispherical
in shape, their height and diameter being the same,—three inches. They
were suspended from low bushes, hanging from the extreme ends of the
twigs, among which the nests were fastened by fine impacted masses of
wood-mosses, which are very nicely and elaborately interwoven with the
lower portions of the outer covering of the nest. The latter is
composed of a singular medley of various materials, among which may be
noticed broken fragments of dry leaves, bits of decayed wood and bark,
coarse blades of grass, various vegetable fibres, lichens, fragments
of insects, mosses, straws, stems, etc. These are all wrapped round
and firmly bound together with strong hempen fibres of vegetables.
Within this outer envelope is an inner nest, made of the finer stems
of grasses and dry needles of the white pine, firmly interwoven. For
the size of the bird, these nests are proportionally larger and deeper
than any others of the common kinds. The cavity is two or two and a
half inches deep.
The eggs are usually five in number. One from Georgia measures .77 by
.55 of an inch, and is of an oblong-oval shape; another, from
Massachusetts, is much more broadly ovate, measuring .80 by .62. Their
greatest breadth is .65 of an inch, and their length .80. They have a
clear crystal-white ground, spotted about the larger end with fine
dark-purple and reddish-brown dots.
This species is one of the most common foster-parents of the Cowbird,
the eggs of which are always tenderly cared for, and the offspring
nurtured by them, always to the destruction of their own nestlings.
Vireo huttoni, CASSIN.