A Book on Birds 



talk. But the Maryland Yellow-throat, 

 the Ovenbird, and our present specimen, 

 the Chat, are pronounced exceptions to 

 this rule, the last-named in particular 

 being often noisy to the last degree, and 

 giving vent to sounds when excited (as 

 he is just now) of which he ought to be 

 ashamed. Some of them are an unpleasant 

 clash between the notes of the Robin and 

 those of a Parrot; while others are nothing 

 else than ugly, rasping, guttural expletives 

 — as you will observe — and all because we 

 have come too close to his nest, with its 

 white and brown eggs, in this wild-rose 

 bush on the edge of the swampy thicket. 



And yet, despite his unfortunate, ill- 

 bred voice, the Chat is a very charming 

 bird, though, of course, the old adage about 

 ^^fine feathers" must not be entirely for- 

 gotten. But, indeed, you ma}^ be the more 

 apt to forget it in his case, because his 

 plumage is not mere vulgar showiness, like 

 the Peacock's, but is delicately beautiful, in 

 its two dominant hues of olive green upon 

 the back, and soft, rich yellow underneath. 



[ 148 ] 



