Length, 5.80; wing, 3.00; tail, 2.00; difference of longest and innermost quills, .90; tarsus, .73.
Hab. Eastern United States, south to Costa Rica. Veragua (Salvin). Very rare in Cuba.
Autumnal birds, perhaps more especially the young, are more glossed with olivaceous, which invades the ashy portions, and tinges the white.
Habits. All the older ornithological writers, in speaking of the Yellow-throated Vireo, repeat each other in describing it as peculiarly attracted to the forest, seeking its solitudes and gleaning its food chiefly among its topmost branches. Such has not been my experience with this interesting and attractive little songster. I have found no one of this genus, not even the gilva, so common in the vicinity of dwellings, or more familiar and fearless in its intercourse with man. All of its nests that I have ever met with have been built in gardens and orchards, and in close proximity to dwellings, and they have also been exclusively in comparatively low positions. In one of the most recent instances a pair of these birds built one of their beautiful moss-covered nests in a low branch of an apple-tree that overhung the croquet-ground, within a few rods of my house. It was first noticed in consequence
of its bold little builder flying in my face whenever I approached too near, even before its nest contained any eggs. The grounds were in frequent use, and the pair were at first a good deal disturbed by these constant intrusions, but they soon became reconciled to their company, and would not leave their position, even though the game was contested immediately under their nest, which was thus often brought within a foot of the heads of the players. Before this nest was quite finished, the female began her duties of incubation. Her assiduous mate was constantly engaged at first in completing the external ornamentation of the nest with lichens and mosses, and then with a renewal of his interrupted concerts of song. These duties he varied by frequent captures of insects, winged and creeping, most of which he duly carried to his mate. His song was varied, sweet, and touchingly beautiful. Less powerful than the notes of several others of its family, except those of the Warbling, I know of none more charming.
These birds reach New England about the 10th of May, and usually have their nests constructed early in June. Their habits, in all essential respects, are the same as those of all its family. They are somewhat confiding and trustful of man, are readily approached, and soon become so well acquainted with those among whom they have a home as to fearlessly come to the windows of the house in pursuit of spiders or flies, and even to enter them. In the latter case they cannot readily make their exit, and soon lose their self-possession, beating their heads against the walls and ceiling in vain attempts to get out, unless caught and released. In one instance a young bird, that had entered my barn-chamber, became so entangled in cobwebs, around his wings and feet, as to be unable to escape again. When taken in the hand, and his meshes one by one picked out from about his feet and quills, he was very docile, made no resistance or outcry, nor any attempt to escape, until he was entirely freed from his bonds, although it required some time and care to accomplish it. When entirely freed from these clogs, and permitted to go, he flew away very deliberately to a short distance, and occupied himself with dressing his disordered plumage.
The nest of this species is also a pendent structure, and hemispherical in shape. It may always be readily distinguished from any other nest of this family by the profusion of lichens and mosses with which its outer portion is adorned and covered, giving it the appearance of a large moss-covered knot.
In most of the towns in the vicinity of Boston this species, though not abundant, is quite common. Their nests, built usually in low and rather conspicuous positions for birds of this kind, occur most frequently in gardens and orchards. One of these, found suspended from a moss-covered branch of an apple-tree in Roxbury, may be taken as typical of its kind. Its rim was firmly bound around the fork of a branch by a continuation of the materials that form the outside of the nest itself. These are an interweaving of spiders’-webs, and silky threads from insect cocoons, largely intermingled
with mosses and lichens, and thus made to conform closely in appearance to the moss-grown bark of the tree. The under portion of the nest is strengthened by long strips of the inner bark of the wild grape. Within is an inner nest made of fine grassy stems and bark. It forms exactly a half-sphere in shape, is symmetrical, and is very thoroughly made. Its diameter is four, and its height two and one fourth inches.
Mr. Nuttall describes a nest of this bird, found by him suspended from the forked twig of an oak, near a dwelling-house, as coated over with green lichens, attached very artfully by a slender string of caterpillars’ silk, the whole afterwards tied over by almost invisible threads of the same, so nicely done as to appear to be glued on. The whole fabric was thus made to resemble an accidental knot of the tree, grown over with moss. Another nest, observed by the same writer, was fixed on the depending branches of a wild cherry, and was fifty feet from the ground. So lofty a position as this is probably very unusual. I have never met with any higher than ten feet from the ground.