The Bird Book Part 90

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.

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 gra.s.ses 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.

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.

The nesting habits of this smaller species are just the same as those of the larger varieties, they suspending their small gra.s.s-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 gra.s.ses. The eggs are white, specked with reddish brown. Size .70 .50. Data.--Austin, Texas, June 16, 1898. Nest of strips of bark, fibres and gra.s.ses, neatly woven and swung from the fork of a low bush, 2 feet from the ground.

[Ill.u.s.tration 386: White.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 629a--632.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: White.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 633a-634.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: left hand margin.]

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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._

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 gra.s.ses, lined with fine round gra.s.ses 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 COEREBIDae

635. BAHAMA HONEY CREEPER. _Creba 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 gra.s.ses, 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 MNIOTILTIDae

Warblers as a family may be cla.s.sed 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.

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.

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 gra.s.s, 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, Ma.s.s., June 3, 1889. Nest of strips of bark on the ground in an old decayed stump.

[Ill.u.s.tration 387: White.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: White.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Black and White Warbler.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: right hand margin.]

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637. PROTHONOTARY WARBLER. _Prothonotaria citrea._

Range.--South Atlantic and Gulf States, north in the interior to Iowa and Illinois.

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 gra.s.ses, 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 gra.s.ses, lined with hair.

638. SWAINSON'S WARBLER. _Helinaia swainsoni._

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 gra.s.ses 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._

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