File:The birds of America - from drawings made in the United States and their territories (1840) (14732231246).jpg

Identifier: birdsofamericafr04audu (find matches)
Title: The birds of America : from drawings made in the United States and their territories
Year: 1840 (1840s)
Authors: Audubon, John James, 1785-1851 Bowen, John T., ca. 1801-1856?, lithographer
Subjects: Birds Birds
Publisher: New York : Published by J.J. Audubon Philadelphia : J.B. Chevalier
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Institution Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
the deer and racoon. The female laysfour or five eggs, which are white, with a strong tinge of flesh-colour, andsprinkled with brownish-red dots at the larger end. I am inclined to believethat the bird raises only one brood in a season. The manners of this bird are not those of the Titmouse, Flycatcher, orWarbler, but partake of those of all three. It has the want of shynessexhibited in the Red-eyed and Yellow-throated Vireo. It hangs to bunchesof small berries, feeding upon them as a Titmouse does on buds of trees;and again searches amongst the leaves and along the twigs of low bushes,like most of the Warblers. On the other hand, it differs from all these intheir principal habits. Thus, it never snaps at insects on the wing, althoughit pursues them; it never attacks small birds and kills them by breaking intheir skulls, as the Titmouse does; nor does it hold its prey under its foot inthe way of the Yellow-throated Vireo, a habit which allies the latter to theShrikes. ^°48. \J\ 239.
Text Appearing After Image:
c /J;/,-1 e.<:c /? Draw?;■„„,. ),u,/rr /;l:/../.j,„/,,/.„„jr/,:s.s-/,s .M//),;,;„:,i/../■•;;.../ //:.„, ,.,.-,. THE SOLITARY VIREO. 145 The flight of this bird is performed by a continued tremor of the wings,as if it were at all times angry. It seldom rises high above its favouritecane-brakes, but is seen hopping up and down about the stems of low bushesand the stalks of the canes, silently searching for food, more in the mannerof the Worm-eating Warbler than in that of any other bird known to me.Their confidence at the approach of man is very remarkable. They look onwithout moving until you are within a few feet, and retire only in propor-tion as you advance towards them. In this respect it resembles the White-eyed Vireo. When wounded by a shot, it remains quite still on the ground, opens itsbill when you approach it, and bites with all its might when laid hold of,although its strength is not sufficient to enable it to inflict a wound. I havenever heard it utte

Note About Images