582 HISTORY OF THE 



tirely yellow; the anal region, at least, buffy whitish, and flanks either dull 

 buffy whitish or brownish, distinctly different from color of belly; wing less 

 than 2.40; smaller and duller in color; the whole belly and sides buffy whitish, 

 the bright yellow being confined to chin, throat, chest, breast and under tail cov- 

 erts; black mask bordered posteriorly by a band (usually narrow) of light ashy 

 gray. (Ridgway.) 



This subspecies, O. trichas occidentalism differs from the above description in 

 being larger and brighter colored, the lower parts entirely bright yellow, except 

 anal region and flanks; black mask bordered posteriorly by a band (usually 

 broad) of white or grayish white; yellow of throat, etc., richer, and olive green 

 of posterior upper parts more yellowish. {Ridgicay.) 



stretch of 

 Length. wing. Wing: Tail. Tarsris. Bill. 



Male.. 5.30 7.10 2.30 2.30 .80 .45 



Female 4.90 6.75 2.15 2.15 .78 .42 



Iris brown; bill dusky, under usually pale at base; legs, feet 

 and claws pale brown to flesh color. 



These pretty birds are quite common throughout their range. 

 They frequent the low, weedy thickets and brier patches, pre- 

 ferring the small growths fringing the shallow streams, or bor- 

 dering prairie sloughs. They are not naturally timid or shy, 

 but a restless, active bird, ever upon the move, hopping about 

 in the bushes, climbing the weed stalks, and searching among 

 the leaves and upon the ground for insect life (chiefly leaf eat- 

 ers), stopping now and then to take a peep at an intruder, at 

 such times often uttering a rather harsh, scolding note, vei-y 

 different from its ordinary "Chup. " 



The males during the breeding season cheer their mates with 

 a pretty song, "Whichitee, whichitee, whichitee," and in the 

 early part of the time, when full of love and vigor, occasionally 

 pour forth their song in the air, rising a short distance above 

 the growths, and dropping back with dangling legs and a pecu- 

 liar jerky motion of the wings and tail. 



Their nests are usually placed on the ground, but I have 

 found them in bushes, two or three feet from the ground. They 

 are composed outside loosely of leaves and grasses; inside, of 

 wire-like stems from plants and rootlets nicely interwoven to- 

 gether. Eggs four or five (occasionally six), . 6Sx. 50. They vary 

 greatly in size and distribution of the markings; the ground color 

 is clear white to creamy white, spotted and sometimes blotched 



