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LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE AND NEST.
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 Loggerhead Shrike. 622a. White-rumped Shrike. Lanius ludovicianus excubitorides. Range.--North America, west of the Plains, breeding north to Manitoba and the Saskatchewan; winters south to Mexico. Like the last but paler and the rump white. Their nesting habits and eggs are in every respect like those of the Loggerhead Shrike. 622b. California Shrike. Lanius ludovicianus gambeli. Range.--Pacific coast north to British Columbia. Similar to the eastern form but with the breast washed with brownish and with indistinct wavy bars. The eggs cannot be distinguished from those of the others. 622c. Island Shrike. Lanius ludovicianus anthonyi. Range.--Santa Barbara Islands, California. Like the last but smaller and darker. Eggs not distinguishable. VIREOS. Family VIREONDIDÆ 623. Black-whiskered Vireo. Vireosylva calidris barbatula. 622a--622b. Range.--A Central American species, breeding in Cuba, Bahamas and southern Florida. White. Like the Red-eyed Vireo but with a dusky streak on either side of the chin. They build pensile nests of strips of bark and fibres, swung from the forks of branches. The eggs cannot be distinguished from those of the next species, being white, more or less specked about the large end with reddish brown and umber. Size .78 × .55.
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YOUNG SHRIKES (All ready for flight).
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 Red-eyed Vireo. 624. Red-eyed Vireo. Vireosylva olivacea. Range.--United States, east of the Rockies, breeding north to Labrador, Manitoba and British Columbia. White. This is the most common of the Vireos in the greater part of its range and is a most persistent songster, frequenting groves, open woods or roadsides. Their eyes are brown, scarcely if any more red than those of any other species and I have yet to see one with red eyes outside of mounted museum specimens. They swing their nests from the forks of trees at any elevation from the ground but usually below ten feet, and I have found them where the bottom rested on the ground; they are made of strips of bark, fibre, etc., and often have pieces of string or paper woven into the sides; they are one of the most beautiful of bird homes and are woven so strongly that old nests hang to the branches for several seasons. Their three or four eggs, often accompanied by one of the Cowbirds, are laid in May or June; they are white, sparingly specked with blackish brown. Size .85 × .55. 625. Yellow-green Vireo. Vireosylva flavoviridis. Range.--Southern Texas and southward to South America. Similar to the Red-eye but greener above and more yellowish on the sides. The nesting habits are the same and the eggs indistinguishable from those of that species. 626. Philadelphia Vireo. Vireosylva philadelphica. Range.--Eastern United States breeding from northern New England and Manitoba northward. White. 626-627. This species is much smaller than the Red-eye (length 5 in.) and is yellowish below, and without black edges to the gray crown. Their eggs do not differ from those of the Red-eyed Vireo except in size, averaging .70 × .50. 627. Warbling Vireo. Vireosylva gilva gilva. Range.--North America east to the Plains, breeding north to Labrador. White. This Vireo is nearly as abundant as the Red-eye but is not generally as well known, probably because it is usually higher in the trees and more concealed from view. Their nests are like those of the Red-eye, but smaller and usually placed higher in the trees. The birds are even more persistent singers, than are the latter but the song is more musical and delivered in a more even manner, as they creep about among the foliage, peering under every leaf for lurking insects. The eggs are pure white, spotted with brown or reddish brown. Size .72 × .52.
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RED-EYED VIREO ON NEST.
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 Yellow-throated Vireo. 627a. Western Warbling Vireo. Vireosylva gilva swainsoni. Range.--Western United States, breeding from Mexico to British Columbia. This species is like the last but said to be a trifle smaller and paler color. Its nesting habits and eggs are precisely like those of the eastern form. 628. Yellow-throated Vireo. Lanivireo flavifrons. Creamy white. Range.--United States east of the Plains, breeding from the Gulf to Manitoba and New Brunswick. This handsome bird is wholly unlike any others of the Vireos, having a bright yellow throat and breast; the upper parts are greenish and the wings and tail gray, the latter with two white bars. They are fairly common breeding birds in northern United States, placing their handsome basket-like structures in forks of branches and at any elevation from the ground; the nests are like those of the preceding Vireos but are frequently adorned on the outside with lichens, thereby adding materially to their natural beauty. The four or five eggs are pinkish or creamy white, speckled about the large end with reddish brown. Size .80 × .60. 629. Blue-headed Vireo. Lanivireo solitarius solitarius. White. Range.--Eastern United States, breeding from southern New England and the northern states north to Hudson Bay; winters in the Gulf States and southward. Blue-headed Vireo. A beautiful Vireo with a slaty blue crown and nape, greenish back, white wing bars and underparts, the flanks being washed with greenish yellow; a conspicuous mark is the white eye ring and loral spot. They build firm, pensile, basket-like nests of strips of birch and grapevine bark, lined with fine grasses and hair, suspended from forks, usually at low elevation and often in pine or fir trees (of some twenty nests that I have found in New England all have been in low branches of conifers). Their three or four white eggs are specked with reddish brown. Size .80 × .60. 629a. Cassin's Vireo. Lanivireo solitarius cassini. Range.--United States west of the Rockies; north to British Columbia. Similar to the last but with the back grayish. 629b. Plumbeous Vireo. Lanivireo solitarius plumbeus. Range.--Rocky Mountain region, breeding from Mexico to Dakota and Wyoming. Like the Blue-headed Vireo but with the yellowish wholly replaced by leaden gray.
Page 383 Black-capped Vireo. 629c. Mountain Vireo. Lanivireo solitarius alticola. Range.--Mountains of Carolina and Georgia; winters in Florida. Said to be larger and darker than solitarius proper. From all accounts, the habits, nests or eggs of this species differ in no wise from many of those of the northern Solitary Vireo, whose nests show great variations in size and material. 629d. San Lucas Vireo. Lanivireo solitarius lucasanus. Range.--Southern Lower California. Similar to cassini but with the flanks more yellow. Their nesting habits or eggs will not differ from the others. 630. Black-capped Vireo. Vireo atricapillus. Range.--Central Texas north to Kansas; winters in Mexico. White. This peculiar Vireo has a black crown and sides of head, broken by a white eye ring and loral stripe; upper parts greenish, below white. They appear to be fairly common in certain localities of their restricted range, and nest at low elevations in mesquites or oaks, placing the nests in forks the same as other Vireos; they are of the ordinary Vireo architecture, lined with grasses. The three or four eggs are pure white, unmarked. Size .70 × .50. Data.--Comal Co., Texas, May 21, 1888, 4 eggs. Nest located in a scrub Spanish oak, 5 feet from the ground. 631. White-eyed Vireo. Vireo griseus griseus. White-eyed Vireo. Range.--Eastern United States, breeding from the Gulf to northern United States. This Vireo has white eyes, as implied by its name, is yellowish green on the sides and with two prominent bars. They have no song, like the other Vireos, but a strange medley of notes resembling those of the Chat or Shrike. White. They nest near the ground in tangled thickets, making large nests for the size of the birds and not always suspended; they are made of weeds, leaves, grass, bark or any trash. Their three or four eggs are laid late in May or early in June; they are white, sparingly speckled with brown; size .75 × .55. 631a. Key West Vireo. Vireo griseus maynardi. Range.--Southern Florida. This grayer and paler variety nests in the same manner and the eggs are not distinct from those of the last form.





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 629a--632. 631b. Bermuda Vireo. Vireo griseus bermudianus. Range.--Bermudas. This variety is said to be slightly smaller and to have no yellow on the sides. Its eggs are probably the same as those of the others. 631c. Small White-eyed Vireo. Vireo griseus micrus. Range.--Eastern Mexico north to southern Texas. Said to be slightly smaller and grayer than the common White-eyed Vireo. Its eggs will not differ. 632. Hutton's Vireo. Vireo huttoni huttoni. Range.--Resident on the California coast; chiefly in the southern parts. White. A similar species to noveboracensis but with the under parts tinged with yellow. These birds are quite common but shy, nesting at any height from the ground in open woods or groves; the nests are made of grasses and moss and swung from forked limbs; the three or four eggs are pure white, finely specked with reddish brown. Size .70 × .50. 632a. Stephen's Vireo. Vireo huttoni stephensi. Range.--Northwestern Mexico and the boundary of the United States. 633a-634. This variety, which is more yellowish than the last, appears to be rather uncommon but as far as I can learn its habits and nesting do not differ from those of the other Vireos; the eggs are white, specked with brown. Size .70 × .50. 632c. Anthony's Vireo. Vireo huttoni obscurus. Range.--Pacific coast from Oregon (and Cal. in winter) to British Columbia. The nesting habits and eggs of this darker and smaller variety are the same in all respects as those of the Hutton's Vireo. 633. Bell's Vireo. Vireo belli belli. Range.--Interior of the United States, breeding from Texas to Minnesota and Dakota. White. The nesting habits of this smaller species are just the same as those of the larger varieties, they suspending their small grass-woven baskets in the forks of bushes or trees and usually at a low elevation. Their nests are handsome and compact little structures, being often made almost wholly of strips of bark lined with very fine grasses. The eggs are white, specked with reddish brown. Size .70 × .50. Data.--Austin, Texas, June 16, 1898. Nest of strips of bark, fibres and grasses, neatly woven and swung from the fork of a low bush, 2 feet from the ground.
Page 385 633a. Least Vireo. Vireo belli pusillus. Range.--Western Mexico, Arizona and southern California. This Vireo is slightly smaller and grayer than the last; they are quite common in southern Arizona, nesting the same as Bell's at low elevations in bushes or small trees. The eggs cannot be distinguished from those of belli. 634. Gray Vireo. Vireo vicinior. White. Range.--Southwestern United States from western Texas, southern California and Nevada southward. This species is grayish above and grayish white below, with white eye ring, lores and wing bar. They are not uncommon birds in the Huachuca Mts. of southern Arizona, where they nest in bushes at low elevations, making the semi-pensile structures of woven strips of bark and grasses, lined with fine round grasses attached by the rim to a fork and sometimes stayed on the side by convenient twigs. Eggs white, specked with brown. Size .72 × .53. HONEY CREEPERS. Family COEREBIDÆ 635. Bahama Honey Creeper. Cœreba bahamensis. Range.--Bahamas, casually to southern Florida and the Keys. This peculiar curved-billed species is dark brown above, with the underparts, superciliary line and spot at base of primaries, whitish; the rump and a breast patch are yellow. They nest at low elevations in bushes or trees usually in tangled thickets, making a large dome-shaped nest of grasses, leaves and fibres and, during May or June, lay from three to five pale creamy white eggs, speckled sparingly all over the surface and more abundantly at the large end with reddish brown. Size .65 × .50. WARBLERS. Family MNIOTILTIDÆ Warblers as a family may be classed as the most beautiful, interesting and useful birds that we have. With few exceptions, they only return from their winter quarters as the trees shoot forth their leaves or flowers, they feed largely among the foliage upon small, and mostly injurious, insects. They are very active and always flitting from branch to branch, showing their handsome plumage to the best advantage. Their songs are simple but effectively delivered and the nests are of a high order of architecture. Black and White Warbler. 636. Black and White Warbler. Mniotilta varia. Range.--North America east of the Plains, breeding from the Gulf States north to the Hudson Bay region; winters from our southern borders to South America. White. This striped black and white Warbler is usually seen creeping about tree trunks and branches after the manner of a Nuthatch. They are very active gleaners and of inestimable value to man. They nest on the ground in woods or swamps, making their nest of strips of bark and grass, placed among the leaves usually beside stones, stumps or fallen trees. Their three to five eggs are white, finely specked and wreathed with reddish brown. Size .65 × .50. Data.--Worcester, Mass., June 3, 1889. Nest of strips of bark on the ground in an old decayed stump.




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 Prothonotary Warbler. 637. Prothonotary Warbler. Prothonotaria citrea. Range.--South Atlantic and Gulf States, north in the interior to Iowa and Illinois. Creamy white. This species is often known as the Golden Swamp Warbler because of the rich golden yellow of the head and underparts. They frequent and nest in the vicinity of swamps or ponds, nesting in the cavities of trees or stubs at low elevations, filling the cavity with leaves, moss and grasses, neatly cupped to receive the four to seven eggs, which are creamy or pinkish white, profusely spotted with reddish brown and chestnut. Size .72 × .55. Data.--Quincy, Mo., June 1, 1897. 5 eggs. Nest in hole of a dead stub 6 feet up, in timber some distance from water; made of moss and grasses, lined with hair. Swainson's Warbler.
Worm-eating Warbler. 638. Swainson's Warbler. Helinaia swainsoni. Bluish white. Range.--South Atlantic and Gulf States, north to Virginia and Indiana, and west to eastern Texas; winters in Mexico and the West Indies. This species is brownish above and white below, with a whitish superciliary stripe. It has been found breeding most numerously in thickets and tangled underbush about swamps and pools in any locality. Their nests are either in bushes or attached to upright rushes over water after the manner of the Long-billed Marsh Wren, being made of leaves, moss, rootlets, etc., lined with fine grasses or hair, and deeply cupped for the reception of the three or four unmarked white or bluish white eggs which are laid during May or June. Size .75 × .58. Data.--Near Charlestown, S. C., May 12, 1888, 3 eggs. Nest in canes 4 feet from ground, made of strips of rushes, sweet gum and water oak leaves, lined with pine needles. 639. Worm-eating Warbler. Helmitheros vermivorus. White. Range.--United States east of the Plains, breeding north to southern New England and Illinois; winters south of our borders. This bird can be identified in all plumages by the three light buff and two black stripes on the crown and narrower black stripes through the eye. Their habits are similar to those of the Oven-bird, they feeding largely upon the ground amid dead leaves.