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breasted chat {Icteria virens). " From the branch of a tall locust 

 a chat warbled a series of sweet, liquid notes, then squealed like 

 a squirrel and yelped like a dog; following this with a wild out- 

 burst of glorious melody. While listening and wondering what 

 next would greet my ears, I was surprised and startled by hear- 

 ing the same strange sounds repeated, but at some distance off. 

 Another chat farther down the path was singing in the same 

 strange way. Another it must be, for the first is still in sight in 

 the same locust tree, flitting carelessly about and apparently 

 silent. Curious to hear the new comer I passed on, when the 

 sounds were heard in the opposite direction. I retraced my steps, 

 and now the strange medley came from the low bushes about 

 me, and while looking carefully for the unseen chat that seemed so 

 near, tnere came floating down to me from the tall locusts' top- 

 most branch the same series of odd sounds and sweet warblings. 

 The truth was now clear; the one bird had uttered every sound 

 I had heard, and by his ventriloquism had for the time completely 

 deceived me. My study of this habit and of its use now com- 

 menced, and for long weeks I watched him to test in every way 

 his ability to mislead one by the exercise of this peculiar power. 

 A little later the female appeared, and the two quickly selected 

 a suitable spot in a tangled mass of blackberry briers at the foot 

 of the locust tree, and built a commodious but roughly con- 

 structed nest. While the mate was sitting, the male chat seemed 

 more animated than ever, and jealous of any intruder he threw 

 his voice in every direction other than towards the nest, when- 

 ever anyone came too near. By watching from a concealment, 

 I found that when not disturbed they uttered fewer strange 

 cries of imitation, and seldom exercised their ventriloquial pow- 

 ers, but however suddenly I appeared from my concealment, 

 the-e was an equally quick uttering of notes of distress, coming 

 as it seemed from a point several yards distant. Vary my ex- 

 periment as I would, it mattered not; the bird was thoroughly 

 conscious of its ventriloquial powers, and trusted far more to it 

 than to flight to avoid and mislead any intruder." 



In discussing this subject further, Dr. Abbott thinks that 



