JOHN V. CRONE, MARATHON, IOWA, COMPILER.
The Vireonidæ, our family for
special study this quarter, is
quite well represented in Iowa,
the reports embracing definite
notes from sixteen counties, and
upon seven different species. No
doubt the notes would have been
more profuse were it not for the
fact that ornithologists are somewhat
tardy in becoming acquainted
with the different varieties of
our smaller birds.
The Red-eyed Greenlet is of
wide distribution, not being confined
to the U. S.
In Iowa it appears to be quite
generally found. However, the
notes show a dearth of either the
birds or enthusiastic ornithologists
in the west and northwest
portions of the state, since it is
reported from only one county,—Pottawattamie—in
that region,
while there are profuse notes on
the species from fifteen in the
eastern and central parts.
It arrives in the state in late
April and early May, breeds during
late May and all of June and
leaves during the latter part of
August or September.
It is a more numerous migrant
than summer resident; but is not
rare by any means during the
breeding season, being reported
as “common” or “abundant” by
nearly all who mention the numbers
found through the period of
nidification. Assuming all those
who reported on the species to be
equally versed in our favorite
science, the numbers vary considerably
with locality. Most
likely this is due to the topography
of the country in question.
The nest is pensile—a trite
statement to most lovers of birds,
41
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
42
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.”
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.
This species does not seem to
be so widely and generally distributed
as the Red-eye, or else it
is not so well known. It is reported
from twelve of the sixteen
counties heard from. “Common
is the word most often used
in connection with its numbers.
The compiler judges that next to
the Red-eye, it is the most numerous
species in Iowa. The dates
of its occurrence are from April to
43
September. June seems to be
almost exclusively its nesting
season. Davie reports it as nesting
in May and June, but it must
nest in May farther south, since
none of the notes report it earlier
than June 12th. The compiler
finds its commonest date of
nidification to be about June
20th.
The nesting site is higher than
that of the Red-eye, or any other
reported. “Frequently nests in
tops of maples in door yards as
high as forty feet;” “usually
thirty or forty feet;” “generally
higher than that of the Red-eyed
Vireo;” “usually placed at a considerable
height;” “high among
trees;” “usually in horizontal
crotch at greatest possible distance
from crotch of tree.”
All that can be gleaned from
the reports about the nest itself,
is that it is pensile, cup-shaped
and lined with fine grass. The
nest in the prairie groves of Buena
Vista county is generally composed
of coarse grass and bark
strips, very neat though rather
rough on outside, and is lined
with down from the seed of the
cottonwood tree.
Mr. Brown finds that the species
seems to prefer the vicinity
of towns in migrations, but of
groves and open woods for
breeding. Mr. Peck notes that
it “nests about houses and along
the edges of woods.” With Mr.
Smith it “inhabits the shade trees
along the street.” Mr. D. L.
Savage finds it nesting “near the
abode of man.”
Those who are acquainted
with the Bronzed Grackle will
call to mind how, when one of
these is aroused, it will utter its
loud and excited cries, soon calling
around it others who join in
throwing imprecations upon the
intruder, and follow him from
tree to tree. The compiler has
often found the nest of gilvus by
thus disturbing the Grackles, who
in turn are scolded by the Vireos,
if the domain of the latter is intruded
upon. The note of the
Vireo in such cases when it fears
the safety of its nest, somewhat
resembles the cry of a cat.
Mr. R. M. Anderson found a
nest in much the same way, by
climbing to a Robin’s nest which
chanced to be near that of the
Greenlet.
Reports upon the habits of the
species are somewhat meager.
Mr. Bartsch refers us to the beautiful
lines appended to the description
of the species by Coues,
but I fear that these same beautiful
lines are not accessible unless
one is near a college library,
44
or so fortunate as to own a copy
of Mr. Coues’ valuable work.
The following from the pen of
our honorary member, Mr.
William Savage, will be interesting
to all. “He seems to be
always cheerful if we may judge
by his song; but he is not safe
from marauders. Snakes, cats,
weasels and minks often lay waste
his possessions. June 15, 1895,
I found a nest containing three
eggs. In a few days three
little scrawny young birds were
wriggling in the nest making
fruitless efforts to raise their
heads as I approached. The
next day one was gone and the
day following, the other two had
shared the fate of the first. I
cut the sprig of hazel off that
held the nest and made it a point
to pass that way frequently.
Soon I discovered the murderer,
a beautiful snake, about sixteen
inches long—what we term the
house snake—suspended in the
hazel bush, with his head and
neck protruding over the very
place where the nest had been.
(It is needless to say I slew him.)”
The nest which Mr. Savage mentions
was four feet up.
Mr. Anderson found a nest five
feet up. The bird was a close
sitter and allowed herself to be
caught in his hand.
It is reported as a lively and
pleasant singer almost as much so
as the Red-eye but with a sweeter
song. Mr. Smith writes that
it sings during May and June,
then is silent to August 15, when
it again sings till its departure.
Mr. Bryan notes it as a beautiful
singer and interesting species.
Flavifrons is reported as being
not so common as the Warbling
and Red-eyed species. Probably
there would be a contest between
it and bellii for third rank in numbers.
It is perhaps more evenly
distributed than the latter and
not quite so plentiful where
found.
Like most others of its tribe it
reaches the state in late April and
early May, but the reports indicate
that it is somewhat early in
its arrival. Its stay seems to be
briefer also, since it is reported
as being last seen as early as
August 10.
The nesting site is chosen at a
considerable elevation, usually,
though Mr. Law reports one from
Dallas county in a hazel bush
one foot up. Others mentioned
are “in hickory tree fourteen and
one-half feet up;” “an oak,
twenty-five feet up;” “near the
45
top of a high tree;” “in burr-oak
tree twenty feet from the ground;”
“ten to fifteen feet up.” “The
nest,” says Mr. Peck, “is a beautiful
structure. It is covered
with lichens much like a Blue-gray
Gnatcatcher’s, and is very
hard to find.”
Mr. Anderson mentions a nest
composed of dry grass, cottony
substances, thin pieces of bark
and moss, and almost covered
with bits of newspaper in two
languages; which latter item
leads the analytical mind of our
correspondent to inquire whether
the bird may not possibly be a
linguist. The nest was lined
with reddish strips of grape-vine
bark. This nest was located in
the same tree as those of a Robin
and Mourning Dove, and contained
four eggs of the Vireo and one
of the Cowbird.
A nest reported by Mr. D. L.
Savage was outwardly composed
of spiders’ webs and fibers of
wild grape-vine bark, then a
coating of newspaper and a lining
of fine grass.
The Yellow-throated is “a
large, stout species,” robust built,
and “the brightest colored of our
Vireos.”
While the song is described as
being “slow, almost slovenly,”
and “with a peculiar languid
drawl,” and lacking the animated
delivery of olivaceus and gilvus,
yet it is much admired by Mr.
Heaton, and the bird is considered
a fine songster by Mr. Giddings.
The female is a close sitter,
leaving the nest reluctantly and
even in some cases requiring
to be displaced by the hand. It
is not averse to making its home
near the abode of man. Mr.
Wm. Savage reports one pair,
who, when robbed of their treasures,
presumably by the Blue
Jays, tore the old nest to pieces
and rebuilt in a tree only six feet
from the door of his office and
fifteen feet up. He finds one
pair every year breeding in a
grove of about two acres near the
house. He notes, though, that
even so close a proximity to the
dwelling of man does not free the
species from the “piratical tyranny
of the Kingbird.”
Mr. Woods finds “four rosy
eggs” to be the usual complement,
and that they average
larger than those of the Red-eye
and Warbling. Mr. Smith reports
a set which average 80x59,
82x60, 80x60 and 82x59.
One case is reported where the
bird left the nest which was found
before the eggs were laid, although
it was not in any way
46
disturbed. Mr. Anderson says
that “the birds scold with great
vehemence when a person comes
near the nest and continue as
long as he remains in the vicinity
even though some distance
away.”
Mr. Brown reports solitarius
as a not uncommon migrant in
Scott county. He says that it is
retiring and hurried, there seldom
being more than a few days between
the first arrival and the departure
of the bulk. He finds it
usually in large woods.
In Black Hawk Co., Mr. Peck
finds it a sometimes abundant,
but usually not very common
migrant. It appears early in
spring, in company with the hardiest
of the warblers while on its
way to its breeding grounds,
chiefly north of the U. S.
Mr. Bartsch has never observed
the bird at Burlington but took
two specimens at Iowa City on the
6th of May, 1895. In actions he
found them quite similar to the
Yellow-throated.
Mr. Anderson has taken two
females of this migrant species in
Winnebago Co.; one May 14,
1892, and one Sept. 18, 1894.
Mr. Bryan has seen this variety
of the Greenlets quite common
in the edge of the woods along
Squaw Creek in Story Co. He
also has specimens taken in
Mahaska Co.
Mr. Wm. Savage reports it as
a resident in VanBuren Co., but
not very common.
Mr. Brown says that while not
much seen in summer it is a not
uncommon summer resident and
fairly plentiful in spring.
Mr. Bartsch writes as follows:
“Only two of these birds have
come under my observation; one
at Burlington some years ago,
and one at Iowa City last spring.
This bird prefers the low, dense
willows and especially small trees
overgrown by a dense mass of
grape-vines. Had it not been
for the lively and pleasing manner
with which they delivered
their clear, ringing song, I should
have overlooked them in a tangle
of green.”
Mr. D. L. Savage sends the
following valuable notes in this
connection: “Not common.
Have never found a nest, although
I have noted the birds in
migrations, and also quite late in
the spring.” Mr. Walter G. Savage,
47
VanBuren Co., found a nest
with two eggs, July 18, 1894.
Nest was placed in hazel bush
eighteen inches up and composed
of pieces of rotten chips—such as
the Chickadee pecks out of its
hole—moss, small pieces of
leaves, cobwebs and lined with
very fine grass and inner bark
fibers of wild grape-vine.
The notes on this Vireo are
not voluminous enough for the
compiler to derive from them
any general conclusions as to
numbers, dates and nesting site.
Mr. Law finds it abundant in
Dallas Co., but less so in Winnebago.
He has found the species
breeding in the former, and Mr.
Fred Hamlin took a set of three
incubated eggs on June 23, 1894.
One of these was situated in a
hazel bush one foot up.
Mr. Woods finds it of common
occurrence in Fayette Co., but
not abundant. “The eggs average
a trifle smaller than the other
species.”
Mr. Peck, writing from Black
Hawk Co., reports it abundant
everywhere among thickets and
underbrush in summer. The
nest, which is small, he finds situated
two to six feet from the
ground. Noted as a late migrant,
breeding far into August. It “is
almost as quarrelsome,” he says,
“as the Yellow-throated. Its
song is lively and shrill and distinguishable
at a great distance.”
Mr. D. L. Savage says, “Not
uncommon, favorable locations
being in bramble bushes and
thickets of undergrowth. It has
a rollicsome little song which always
brings gladness with it. I
have never had the good fortune
to find a nest, although I have
searched repeatedly for it, while
the old birds were making quite
an ado. It must be well concealed.”
Mr. Bryan writes that he has
seen it quite numerous in Mahaska
Co., along wood-roads; and has
secured one nest in a hazel bush
in a river pasture.
Mr. Irons says that the well
known voice of this little bird is
a familiar sound in the woodlands
of Pottawattamie Co.
Mr. Brown finds it a quite
common summer resident in
Scott Co., nesting in late May
and early June, usually at the low
elevation of from two and one-half
to ten feet. “A quiet, retiring
species and much more
common in the small brush
patches in prairie districts than in
the vicinity of water courses or
heavy woods.”
48
Mr. Giddings’ notes from his
recent personal experience with
the species are in full as follows:
“A common summer resident in
this (Jackson) Co. Not much
known except to the ornithologist
and collector. The home of
this species is in the thickets of
brush and bramble, where it
builds its nest unknown to those
who pass close by. The nest is
suspended from the fork of some
small bush within a few feet of
the ground, composed of dead
leaves, grass and strips of grape-vine
bark. Generally somewhat
ragged on the outside. Four
eggs seem to be the usual number
and I never found any other
in complete sets. Nests mostly
well concealed and hard to find.
I have found the best way is to
get down and creep on the ground,
and by looking up, the nest can
often be found quite easily.
“This species is, to me, the
most interesting of the Vireos,
and I hardly ever tire of listening
to its lively song, or watch it
flit from bush to bush. Near my
place is a thicket of hazel,
black-berry, sumach, and a few
small oak trees interspersed; just
the place for Bell’s Vireo, and I
can hear it singing at most any
time during the summer from my
doorstep.
“June 9, 1895, I started out to
find some nests and soon succeeded
in finding two. The first
was hung from a small hazel
bush, four feet above the ground
and contained two eggs. Nest
measured 3 in. deep; 3 in. in
diameter outside; cavity 1¾x1¼.
June 11, 4 eggs; they averaged
.68x.50, pure white, quite well
spotted with red. The second
nest was in a place where the
bushes were quite low; was hung
from fork of hazel bush three
feet from ground. The nest was
composed of leaves, grass, bark
of grape-vine and plant down,
lined with fine grass and hair.
Measured four inches deep; 2¾
in. in diameter on the outside;
1½ in. deep by 1¾ in. inside. Contained
four eggs above the average
size and pure white with a
very few small red spots. Eggs
measured .74x.52 average, with
scarcely any difference in them.
“I have not found this bird
imposed upon by the Cowbird.”
Our readers will realize that to
cultivate the acquaintance of the
little Greenlets is to gain health,
pleasure and profit—health from
walks in the leafy woodlands and
exercise in the fragrant air; pleasure
from the music of their voices
and study of their ways; and
profit from health, pleasure and
the priceless teachings of Nature.
49
Notes and News.
We have received a very complete
list of Iowa birds from J.
L. DeVine of Chicago, Ill., formerly
from Iowa. Much to our
regret, we cannot publish the
list in the I. O. for lack of space.
Mr. D. S. Ebersold of Oceanus,
Florida, collector of natural history
specimens—his ad is on another
page of this magazine—was
once an Iowa boy. He followed
the plow, hoed corn and
did other rural work in Butler
Co., and has many relatives there
now.
The Naturalist and Collector
of Abington, Ill., edited by P.
Wilber Shoup, has been discontinued
as it did not receive sufficient
patronage to warrant its
continuance.
Mr. Paul Bartsch of Burlington,
Iowa, reports the taking of a
Barn Owl at that place on Nov.
22, 1895.
The American Ornithologists’
Union held their Thirteenth
Congress at Washington, D. C.,
on Nov. 12-15, 1895, with an
average attendance of fifty ornithologists.
The officers elected
by the Union for the year, were
as follows: President, William
Brewster; Vice Presidents, Robert
Ridgway and C. Hart Merriam;
Secretary, John H. Sage;
Treasurer, William Dutcher.
Dr. A. E. Foote, the distinguished
scientist of Philadelphia,
died Oct. 11, 1895, in Atlanta,
Ga., to which place he had
gone to take charge of the Pennsylvania
mineral exhibit.
Dr. Foote was born in Hamilton,
N. Y., Feb. 6, 1846. Soon
after graduating at the State
University of Michigan in 1867,
he was appointed assistant professor
of chemistry and mineralogy
in the Iowa State College,
which place he held for five years,
50
being very successful as a teacher.
In 1875 he moved to Philadelphia,
and began the building up
of his now world wide business
in minerals and scientific books.
He was married in 1872, to Miss
Augusta Matthews of Iowa, who,
with two sons and a daughter,
survives him. His business will be
continued by Warren G. Foote, a
son of the deceased, as manager.
Mr. J. H. Brown, Iowa City,
Ia., writes: “I shot three Greater
Redpolls on Jan. 11, and one
the 13th inst. They were undoubtedly
of the variety Acanthis
linaria rostrata (Coues). I have
never seen mention of this variety
occurring in the state before.”
Mr. John V. Crone has a live
Snowy Owl which was wing-tipped
and captured near Marathon,
Iowa, about Dec. 20. He
is thriving on a diet of meat of
different kinds, including sparrow,
turkey, grouse and pork; diversified
by occasional bites from his
captor’s fingers.
Prof. Gus. Walters, Cedar
Falls, Iowa, writes: “We are
taking some interest in birds
here. Have captured the Purple
Finch and Rusty Grackle.
Secured a fine Meadow Lark,
Dec. 27—rather late for him.”
The Northwestern Ornithological
Association held its second
annual meeting at Portland, Ore.,
Dec. 27, 1895. The forenoon
was devoted to business; the
afternoon to reading of papers
and election of officers. The
officers chosen were; Wm. L.
Finly, Pres.; Ellis F. Hadley,
1st Vice Pres.; Guy Striker, 2d
Vice Pres.; Arthur L. Pope, Sec.;
D. C. Bord, Treas.
The N. O. A. is a live association,
as is shown by the fact
that the past year it has compiled
a list of Oregon birds embracing
over twice as many as were ever
before contained in a list of birds
of Oregon. This list is being
published in the Association’s
official organ, the Oregon Naturalist
and will number 254 species
and sub-species.
Hereafter the Association will
admit associate members from
any part of America, and its members
expect to have a phenomenal
growth during the next few
months. For particulars address
the secretary at McMinnville, Ore.
A. I. Johnson, DesMoines, Ia.,
while out collecting Nov. 25, saw
two Robins and Dec. 3, secured
two Red-winged Blackbirds from
a flock of 8.
51
Publications Received.
Barrows, Walter B., and E. A.
Schwarz. “The Common Crow
of the United States.” Bull. No.
6, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture,
1895, pp. 1-98, 1 pl. 2 figs.
Beal, F. E. L. “The Crow
Blackbirds and Their Food.” Reprinted
from the Yearbook of the
U. S. Dept. of Agriculture for
1894. Pp. 233-248, figs. 1.
Beal, F. E. L. “Preliminary
Report on the Food of Woodpeckers.”
Bull. No. 7, U. S.
Dept. of Agriculture, 1895, pp.
1-33, 1 pl., 3 figs.
Burns, Frank L. “The American
Crow, (Corvus americanus)
with special reference to its nest
and eggs.” Bull. No. 5, Wilson’s
Orn. Chap, of Agassiz
Assn., 1895, pp. 1-41.
Fisher, A. K. “Hawks and Owls
from the Standpoint of the Farmer.”
Reprinted from the Yearbook
of the U. S. Dept. of Agriculture
for 1894. Pp. 215-232,
pl. 3, figs. 3.
Jones, Lynds. “Minotiltidae.”
Bull. No. 4, Wilson Orni. Chap.
of Agassiz Assn., 1895, pp. 1-22.
Lucas, F. A. “The Tongues
of Woodpeckers.” Bull. No. 7,
U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, 1895.
Pp. 35-41, pl. 3.
“The A. O. U. Check-list of
North American Birds.” Second
and revised edition. Issued by
the American Ornithologists’
Union, 1895. Pp. 1-372, I-XII,
8vo, cloth.
“The Nidologist.” Vol. 3, No.
4. Dec. 1895.
“Popular Science News.” Vol.
30, No. 1. January, 1896.
“The Oologist,” Vol. 12, No.
12. December, 1895.
“Oregon Naturalist.” Vol. 3,
No. 1. January, 1896.
“Gameland.” Vol. 8, No. 1.
December, 1895.
“The American Zoologist and
Home Journal of Science.” Vol.
1, No. 1.
“Game and Shooting.” Vol.
1, No. 11.
“The Linnean Fern Bulletin.”
Vol. 4, No. 1, January 1896.
For the lack of space, we cannot
give further mention of publications
received. In our next
issue we shall give more space to
this department.
53
