"Like some children," said Bobbie, with a sage nod of the head, "who talk all day long." "Yes," smiled his mamma, "without saying very much, either. But this little bird works while he chatters." "I reckon he stops at noon time," said Bobbie, "as other birds do." "No, even then the silence of the woods is broken by the Red-eyed Vireo's voice. He is such a busy little fellow, he can't find time for a nap." "Hm!" remarked Bobbie; "the other birds must find him a tiresome fellow, I think. "Has he any other names, mamma?" "Yes, he is called the Red-eyed Greenlet or Red-eyed Fly-catcher. One gentleman calls him 'The Preacher.' To him the bird seems to say, '_You see it; you know it; do you hear me? do you believe it?_'" "I'm going to look out for that red-eyed preacher next summer," said Bobby, with a laugh. "One lady who makes a study of birds thinks he says, '_I know it! would you think it? musn't touch it; you'll rue it!_' He makes a pause, as you see, after each sentence." "Tell me something about their nests?" said Bobbie, deeply interested. "They are made of bark fibers, cobwebs, bits of paper, and scraps of hornets' nests, in the form of a little pocket. This is suspended from the fork of two or more twigs high up in the tree, making a sort of cradle for the little ones." "Rock-a-by, baby, on the tree top, When the wind blows, the cradle will rock." hummed Bobby. "How jolly!" "Yes," said mamma; "and they take care that it is under some green leaves, which act as an umbrella to keep the sun out of the mother's eyes while she sits on the four pretty white eggs." "And out of the little ones' red eyes, too," laughed Bobbie. "How cute!" [Illustration: From col. Chi. Acad. Sciences. RED-EYED VIREO. Copyrighted by Nature Study Pub. Co., 1898, Chicago.] THE RED EYED VIREO. Red-eyed Vireo, Red-eyed Greenlet, and Red-eyed Fly-catcher are the names variously applied to this pretty representative of his family, of which there are about fifty species. The Red-eye is an inhabitant of Central America and Mexico, its northern limit being the lower Rio Grande valley in Texas. The exquisite little creature is tinted even more delicately than the Wax-wing, but with much the same glossy look and elegant air. The ruby-tinted eye, and the conspicuous white line above it, with its border, are good characteristics by which to distinguish it from its relatives.