bird neighbors-第40章

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Length　　5。5　to　7　inches。　A　little　smaller　than　the　English　　　sparrow。　Male　　Dusky　olive　above；　head　bluish　gray；　with　a　white　line　　　around　the　eye；　spreading　behind　the　eye　into　a　patch。　Beneath　　　whitish；　with　yellow…green　wash　on　the　sides。　Wings　dusky　　　olive；　with　two　distinct　white　bars。　Tail　dusky；　some　quills　　　edged　with　white。　　Female　　Similar；　but　her　head　is　dusky　olive。　Range　　United　States　to　plains；　and　the　southern　British　　　provinces。　Winters　in　Florida　and　southward。　Migrations　　May。　Early　October。　Common　during　migrations；　more　　　rarely　a　summer　resident　south　of　Massachusetts。

By　no　means　the　recluse　that　its　name　would　imply；　the　solitary　vireo；　while　a　bird　of　the　woods；　shows　a　charming　curiosity　about　the　stranger　with　opera…glasses　in　hand；　who　has　penetrated　to　the　deep；　swampy　tangles；　where　it　chooses　to　live。　Peering　at　you　through　the　green　undergrowth　with　an　eye　that　seems　especially　conspicuous　because　of　its　encircling　white　rim；　it　is　at　least　as　sociable　and　cheerful　as　any　member　of　its　family；　and　Mr。　Bradford　Torrey　credits　it　with　〃winning　tameness。〃　〃Wood…bird　as　it　is；〃　he　says；　〃it　will　sometimes　permit　the　greatest　familiarities。　Two　birds　I　have　seen；　which　allowed　themselves　to　be　stroked　in　the　freest　manner；　while　sitting　on　the　eggs；　and　which　ate　from　my　hand　as　readily　as　any　pet　canary。〃

The　solitary　vireo　also　builds　a　pensile　nest；　swung　from　the　crotch　of　a　branch；　not　so　high　from　the　ground　as　the　yellow…throated　vireos　nor　so　exquisitely　finished；　but　still　a　beautiful　little　structure　of　pine…needles；　plant…fibre；　dry　leaves；　and　twigs；　all　lichen…lined　and　bound　and　rebound　with　coarse　spiders'　webs。

The　distinguishing　quality　of　this　vireo's　celebrated　song　is　its　tenderness：　a　pure；　serene　uplifting　of　its　loving；　trustful　nature　that　seems　inspired　by　a　fine　spirituality。


RED…EYED　VIREO　（Vireo　olivaceus）　Vireo　or　Greenlet　family

Called　also：　THE　PREACHER

Length　　5。75　to　6。25　inches。　A　fraction　smaller　than　the　　　English　sparrow。　Male　and　Female　　Upper　parts　light　olive…green；　well…defined　　　slaty…gray　cap；　with　black　marginal　line；　below　which；　and　　　forming　an　exaggerated　eyebrow；　is　a　line　of　white。　A　brownish　　　band　runs　from　base　of　bill　through　the　eye。　The　iris　is　　　ruby…red。　Underneath　white；　shaded　with　light　greenish　yellow　　　on　sides　and　on　under　tail　and　wing　coverts。　Range　　United　States　to　Rockies　and　northward。　Wnters　in　　　Central　and　South　America。　Migrations　　April。　October。　Common　summer　resident。

〃You　see　it　　you　know　it　　do　you　hear　me？　Do　you　believe　it？〃　is　Wilson　Flagg's　famous　interpretation　of　the　song　of　this　commonest　of　all　the　vireos；　that　you　cannot　mistake　with　such　a　key。　He　calls　the　bird　the　preacher　from　its　declamatory　style；　an　up…and…down　warble　delivered　with　a　rising　inflection　at　the　close　and　followed　by　an　impressive　silence；　as　if　the　little　green　orator　were　saying；　〃I　pause　for　a　reply。〃

Notwithstanding　its　quiet　coloring；　that　so　closely　resembles　the　leaves　it　hunts　among；　this　vireo　is　rather　more　noticeable　than　its　relatives　because　of　its　slaty　cap　and　the　black…and…white　lines　over　its　ruby　eye；　that；　in　addition　to　the　song；　are　its　marked　characteristics。

Whether　she　is　excessively　stupid　or　excessively　kind；　the　mother…vireo　has　certainly　won　for　herself　no　end　of　ridicule　by　allowing　the　cowbird　to　deposit　a　stray　egg　in　the　exquisitely　made；　pensile　nest；　where　her　own　tiny　white　eggs　are　lying　and　though　the　young　cowbird　crowd　and　worry　her　little　fledglings　and　eat　their　dinner　as　fast　as　she　can　bring　it　in；　no　displeasure　or　grudging　is　shown　towards　the　dusky　intruder　that　is　sure　to　upset　the　rightful　heirs　out　of　the　nest　before　they　are　able　to　fly。

In　the　heat　of　a　midsummer　noon；　when　nearly　every　other　bird's　voice　is　hushed；　and　only　the　locust　seems　to　rejoice　in　the　fierce　sunshine；　the　little　red…eyed　vireo　goes　persistently　about　its　business　of　gathering　insects　from　the　leaves；　not　flitting　nervously　about　like　a　warbler；　or　taking　its　food　on　the　wing　like　a　flycatcher；　but　patiently　and　industriously　dining　where　it　can；　and　singing　as　it　goes。

When　a　worm　is　caught　it　is　first　shaken　against　a　branch　to　kill　it　before　it　is　swallowed。　Vireos　haunt　shrubbery　and　trees　with　heavy　foliage；　all　their　hunting；　singing；　resting；　and　home…building　being　done　among　the　leaves　　never　on　the　ground。


WHITE…EYED　VIREO　（Vireo　noveboracensis）　Vireo　or　Greenlet　family

Male　　5　to　5。3　inches。　An　inch　shorter　than　the　English　　　sparrow。　Male　and　Female　　Upper　parts　bright　olive…green；　washed　with　　　grayish。　Throat　and　underneath　white；　the　breast　and　sides　　　greenish　yellow；　wings　have　two　distinct　bars　of　yellowish　　　white。　Yellow　line　from　beak　to　and　around　the　eye；　which　has　a　　　white　iris。　Feathers　of　wings　and　tail　brownish　and　edged　with　　　yellow。　Range　　United　States　to　the　Rockies；　and　to　the　Gulf　regions　　　And　beyond　in　winter。　Migrations　　May。　September。　Summer　resident。

〃Pertest　of　songsters；〃　the　white…eyed　vireo　makes　whatever　neighborhood　it　enters　lively　at　once。　Taking　up　a　residence　in　the　tangled　shrubbery　or　thickety　undergrowth；　it　immediately　begins　to　scold　like　a　crotchety　old　wren。　It　becomes　irritated　over　the　merest　trifles　　a　passing　bumblebee；　a　visit　from　another　bird　to　its　tangle；　an　unsuccessful　peck　at　a　gnat　　　　anything　seems　calculated　to　rouse　its　wrath　and　set　every　feather　on　its　little　body　a…trembling；　while　it　sharply　snaps　out　what　might　perhaps　be　freely　constructed　into　〃cuss…words。〃

And　yet　the　inscrutable　mystery　is　that　this　virago　meekly　permits　the　lazy　cowbird　to　deposit　an　egg　in　its　nest；　and　will　patiently　sit　upon　it；　though　it　is　as　large　as　three　of　her　own　tiny　eggs；　and　when　the　little　interloper　comes　out　from　his　shell　the　mother…bird　will　continue　to　give　it　the　most　devoted　care　long　after　it　has　shoved　her　poor　little　starved　babies　out　of　the　nest　to　meet　an　untimely　death　in　the　smilax　thicket　below。

An　unusual　variety　of　expression　distinguishes　this　bird's　voice　from　the　songs　of　the　other　vireos；　which　are　apt　to　be　monotonous；　as　they　are　incessant。　If　you　are　so　fortunate　to　approach　the　white…eyed　vireo　before　he　suspects　your　presence；　you　may　hear　him　amusing　himself　by　jumbling　together　snatches　of　the　songs　of　the　other　birds　in　a　sort　of　potpourri；　or　perhaps　he　will　be　scolding　or　arguing　with　an　imaginary　foe；　then　dropping　his　voice　and　talking　confidentially　to　himself。　Suddenly　he　bursts　into　a　charming；　simple　little　song；　as　if　the　introspection　had　given　him　reason　for　real　joy。　All　these　vocal　accomplishments　suggest　the　chat　at　once；　but　the　minute　your　intrusion　is　discovered　the　sharp　scolding；　that　is　fairly　screamed　at　you　from　an　enraged　little　throat；　leaves　no　possible　shadow　of　a　doubt　as　to　the　bird　you　have　disturbed。　It　has　the　most　emphatic　call　and　song　to　be　heard　in　the　woods；　it　snaps　its　words　off　very　short。　〃Chick…a…rer　chick〃　is　its　usual　call…note；　jerked　out　with　great　spitefulness。

Wilson　thus　describes　the　jealously　guarded　nest：　〃This　bird　builds　a　very　neat　little　nest；　often　in　the　figure　of　an　inverted　cone；　it　is　suspended　by　the　upper　end　of　the　two　sides；　on　the　circular　bend　of　a　prickly　vine；　a　species　of　smilax；　that　generally　grows　in　low　thickets。　Outwardly　it　is　constructed　of　various　light　materials；　bits　of　rotten　wood；　fibres　of　dry　stalks；　of　weeds；　pieces　of　paper　（commonly　newspapers；　an　article　almost　always　found　about　its　nest；　so　that　some　of　my　friends　have　given　it　the　name　of　the　politician）；　all　these　materials　are　interwoven　with　the　silk　of　the　caterpillars；　and　the　inside　is　lined　with　fine；　dry　grass　and　hair。〃


WARBLING　VIREO　（Vireo　gilvus）　Vireo　or　Greenlet　family

Length　　5。5　to　6　inches。　A　little　smaller　than　the　English　　　sparrow。　Male　and　Female　　Ashy　olive…green　above；　with　head　and　neck　　　ash…colored。　Dusky　line　over　the　eye。　Underneath　whitish；　　　faintly　washed　with　dull　yellow；　deepest　on　sides；　no　bars　on　　　wings。　Range　　North　America；　from　Hudson　Bay　to　Mexico。　Migrations　　May。　Late　September　or　early　October。　Summer　　　resident。

This　musical　little　bird　shows　a　curious　preference　for　rows　of　trees