Mr. John H. Clark, the naturalist of the Mexican Boundary Commission, likewise found this species in Texas, and not far from the same locality in which it was discovered by Dr. Woodhouse. His attention also was drawn to the bird by its shrill discordant chirp, which it uttered incessantly in its pursuit of insects. Three specimens only were seen, and all of them at one locality, the valley of the Rio San Pedro, to which it seemed to be confined. It was not at all shy, and showed no concern when Mr. Clark approached within a few rods. Its constant motion, hopping incessantly from branch to branch, made it a matter of some difficulty to procure specimens. It was found in June, and the single specimen shot by Mr. Clark was also a male.
WHITE-EYED VIREO.
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.