The nest is pensile—a trite statement to most lovers of birds, yet new to some of our readers perhaps—and is a beautiful and interesting structure. The site varies considerably in elevation as will be seen from the following quotations: “under thirty feet in elm and ash trees;” “swung from the low branch of some bush or tree, between five and ten feet from the ground;” “low branches of large trees or near the tops of saplings;” “near ground between five and twenty feet up;” “lowest limb of maple tree, seven feet up;” “suspended from the fork of a slender limb, usually a few feet up; sometimes quite high;” “almost any height from the ground.”

The “little basket” is “deeper and narrower than that of V. gilvus.” It is “built of interwoven vegetable materials, hempen fibers and the soft inner bark of trees,” a preference being noticed by Mr. Shoemaker for the inner bark of the dead elm and ash. Mr. Giddings reports a nest “composed of grass, pieces of hornet’s nests and spider webs. The hornet’s nest had furnished fully one-half of all the nest. It was lined with hair and fine grass.” Another nest described by Mr. D. L. Savage, was “composed of fibers from the milkweed. Grass and cobwebs were profusely used on the outside.” It was “pensile and cup-shaped and lined with reddish fibers.”

The worst that can be gleaned from the reports on our little Greenlet is, that it, innocently and unwittingly no doubt, helps to sustain that despicable pest, the Cowbird.

Mr. D. L. Savage and Mr. Law each report sets of ¼ V. olivaceous and 1-1 Molothrus ater. In the nest before mentioned Mr. Giddings found on June 12, 1895, two eggs of the Vireo, and one of the Cowbird. The next day there were three eggs of the Vireo, and two of the Cowbird. He finds the Vireo much imposed upon by the Cowbird. Mr. C. C. Smith says, “With the exception of the Chipping Sparrow, perhaps no bird is so much imposed upon as this Vireo. I think that the Vireo will desert the nest if the egg of the Cowbird is deposited first because one will often find one or two eggs of the Cowbird in a deserted nest of the Vireo. Two or three eggs of the Vireo with from one, two or three of the Cowbird is the usual number. I have seen the following combinations, 624 1-4 and 495 1-1; 624 1-3 and 495 1-1; 624 1-3 and 495 1-2; 624 1-3 and 495 1-3.”

Evidently the Red-eye is not much in fear of man, since Mr. Heaton finds it a regular resident in his door yard where it is under observation at all times; and Mr. Barstch has found it nesting in the cities of Burlington, Decorah and Iowa City.

The species has a “loud, clear song that can be heard in any woodland.” It is “one of our best and most persistent songsters continuing during its entire stay.” It “may,” says Mr. Smith, “be heard at all hours of the day. Its song is rather monotonous and is uttered as the bird flits about among the foliage. It has also a characteristic alarm note which is uttered when the person gets too near its home; and the note is nearly always a sign of the near proximity of the nest.”

626. V. philadelphicus. (Cass.)
PHILADELPHIA VIREO.

This species is reported from only two counties—Scott and Jackson. Mr. Giddings thinks it may breed in Jackson county, since he has noted it there during the breeding season. He finds it very rare, having seen the bird only a few times. He first saw the species for the season of 1895, on June 1st.

Mr. J. H. Brown finds it not uncommon in Scott county. In some seasons he finds it a quite common migrant. He agrees with Mr. Davie that it is very like V. gilvus, but finds it much more quiet during migrations, “seeming to prefer tree-tops and rural districts.” He finds it rather erratic, being common one year and perhaps rare the next.

Mr. Davie says, in his Nests and Eggs of N. A. Birds, that the species is “not common wherever found;” but that “in portions of the Mississippi valley it is more common than in the eastern states occurring regularly and in considerable numbers during the spring and fall migrations.” The I. O. A. needs to take this species especially in hand and develop information concerning it.