_Vireo belli_, AUD. Birds Am. VII, 1844, 333, pl. cccclxxxv (Missouri
River).—CASSIN, Pr. A. N. Sc. Phila. 1851, 150.—BAIRD, Birds N.
Am. 1858, 337; Rev. 358.—SCLATER, Catal. 1861, 42, no. 258.—BON.
Consp. 1850, 330.—COOPER, Orn. Cal. 1, 1870, 123.
[Line drawing: _Vireo belli._
1926]
SP. CHAR. (No. 1,926.) Above olive-green, brightest on the rump;
tinged anteriorly with ashy; the top and sides of head ashy, in faint
contrast. A line from nostrils to eye (scarcely beyond it), and
eyelids very pale yellowish-white; lores dusky. Under parts, including
inner wing-coverts, and edge of wing, creamy-white; the sides,
axillars, and crissum pale yellow (sides of lower neck and of breast
glossed with olivaceous, faintest on the longer feathers of the
latter). Two rather narrow bands on the wing-coverts, and the outer
edges of innermost secondaries white; the other quills edged with
faded olivaceous. Inner edges of quills whitish. Tail-feathers brown,
edged externally with olive; internally fading into paler brown.
Median portion of rump feathers concealed with pale yellowish. Bill
horn-color above, pale below. Legs plumbeous. “Iris brown.”
First quill spurious; not quite half the second, which is about equal
to the eighth; third and fourth quills longest; fifth scarcely
shorter. Tail nearly even, or a little rounded, the feathers narrow.
Total length, 4.20; wing, 2.18; tail, 1.90; tarsus, .75.
HAB. United States, from Missouri River to base of Rocky Mountains;
Tehuantepec, Mexico (October, SUMICHRAST); Missouri (HOY); Iowa
(ALLEN); Southeast Illinois (RIDGWAY).
The above description is taken from a type specimen received from Mr.
Audubon, and represents the average spring plumage. Autumnal skins are
rather brighter, and there is occasionally an ochraceous tinge on the
white of the under parts.
This species at first sight appears like a miniature of _V. gilvus_,
the head being almost exactly similar. The back is, however, much
brighter olive, the sides and crissum deeper yellow. The superciliary
light stripe is shorter. The white markings of the wings are wanting
in _gilvus_. The wing, tail, and feet are entirely different in their
proportions.
HABITS. This species was first procured by Mr. Audubon’s party in the
excursion to the Yellowstone River, in what is now known as Dakota
Territory. In his account of it Mr. Audubon states that it is usually
found in the bottom-lands along the shores of the Upper Missouri
River, from the neighborhood of the Black Snake Hills, as far as they
ascended that river. In its habits he describes it as more nearly
allied to the White-eyed Vireo than any other.
Dr. Woodhouse, in his report of the Zuñi River Expedition, mentions
finding this species abundant in Texas. Mr. Dresser also speaks of it
as not uncommon, during the summer, near San Antonio, and remaining
there to breed. He mentions finding a nest on the 2d of July in a
_wesatche_ bush near the San Pedro, containing three eggs of this
species and one of the Cow-Bunting. Being anxious to procure the
parent bird he left it, but on his return the nest had been torn and
the Vireo’s eggs smashed. Dr. Heermann found a nest on the Medina
about the same time. He describes this nest as beautifully formed of
fine grasses, and hung from the small twigs of a tree. The eggs, four
in number, were very small, white, with an occasional reddish dot at
the larger end. The nest found by Dr. Heermann was attached to the
pendent twigs of a willow. The stomachs of these Vireos were found to
contain small green caterpillars.
Dr. Coues met with this species near Fort Riley, May 23. It appeared
to be quite common, and was found inhabiting thickets and clumps of
bushes, like _V. noveboracensis_, but having a very different song,
the peculiarity of which first attracted his attention. Mr. Ridgway
found it to be a common summer resident in the thickets and copses of
Southern Illinois, especially in the prairie districts. He first met
with it on the 8th of June, 1871, on Fox Prairie, in Richland County.
His attention was drawn to it by its peculiar song, which has a
general resemblance to that of the White-eyed Vireo, having the same
odd delivery, but being more sputtering, reminding one somewhat of the
song of _Troglodytes ædon_.
This Vireo appears to have quite an extended distribution during the
breeding-season, or from Texas to the Upper Missouri, and even as far
as the eastern edge of Southern Illinois. It breeds also as far to the
east as Eastern Kansas. Its western limits are not so clearly defined.
It was not found by Mr. Ridgway in Nevada or Utah, nor by Dr. Coues in
Arizona.
A nest of this species, found in June, near Neosho Falls, Kansas, by
Mr. B. F. Goss (S. I. Coll., 1,875), is pensile; suspended from two
small twigs, which make the basis of three fourths of its rim. Over
these is strongly bound a finely felted webbing of the flax-like
fibres of plants, interwoven with slender stems. With these are
connected and interwoven also the materials that make up the periphery
of the nest itself. This is composed of long and slender strips of
bark, fragments of dry leaves, bits of wood, and various other
fragmentary substances. The nest, unlike others of this family, is
lined with down, and the fine long hair of some animals, instead of
with vegetable stems. The diameter as well as the height of this nest
is about two and a half inches.
Another nest from West Texas, obtained by Captain Pope, is essentially
different in its general characteristics. It is three inches in
diameter, and but one inch and three quarters high. The opening is
circular, but only one and a half inches wide. Below the rim the
cavity widens until it is two and a half inches in diameter. The outer
nest is made up of an interweaving of fine strips of bark and dry
leaves, intermixed with and firmly bound around by strong flax-like
fibres of different plants. Within, it is lined with fine flexible
grasses and stems of plants.
The eggs of this species are from .73 to .76 of an inch in length, and
from .52 to .56 in breadth. They are pure white, sparingly spotted
with fine red dots distributed around the larger end.
Vireo pusillus, COUES.