EASTERN YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT 591 



Food. — Probably all of the items mentioned above in the food of 

 the young are also eaten by adult chats. A. H. Howell (1932) writes : 

 "The Chat feeds largely on insects, including beetles, bugs, ants, 

 weevils, bees, wasps. May flies, and various caterpillars, such as tent 

 caterpillars and currant worms. It is said to be fond of wild straw- 

 berries and takes considerable other wild fruit, such as blackberries, 

 raspberries, whortleberries, elderberries, and wild grapes. The 

 stomachs of 7 specimens taken on Amelia Island in May and June 

 contained insects and fruit pulp in about equal proportions, with a 

 few spiders and small crustaceans. The insects included moths and 

 their larvae, beetles, bugs, ants, wasps, and grasshoppers. The fruit 

 consisted of blueberries and blackberries." Elsewhere (1907) he lists 

 the chat among the birds that eat the cotton-boll weevil. 



Behavior. — Next to its astonishing vocal performances, the eccentric, 

 ludicrous, almost clownish, behavior is one of the chat's most out- 

 standing characteristics. Although a bit fanciful and imaginary, 

 Dr. J. M. Wheaton's (1882) account is a good character study of this 

 buffoon of the brier patch. 



If he discovers tlie approach of a human being, even at a considerable dis- 

 tance, he prepares to resent the intrusion ; and giving three short, loud whistles, 

 very low in tone, as a warning, he advances toward him, all the while careful 

 that he should be heard and not seen. Then follows a medley of sputtering, 

 cackling, whispering and scolding notes, frequently interspersed with loud 

 whistles, and continued as the bird runs, hops, or flies in the densest thicket, 

 with a pertinacity that knows no fatigue. He tells you that your gun won't 

 shoot, that it is a flint-lock, that your ramrod is broken, that you shot it at a 

 buzzard, that you haven't got a gun ; that you are a bald-headed cripple ; that 

 there is a horrid suicide in the bushes, and a big snake and a nasty skunk; 

 that your baby is crying, your house is afire and the bridge broken down ; that 

 you have missed the road to the reform farm, and that the poor house is over 

 the creek, and he calls the dogs ; says that you have gone to seed ; go west and 

 grow up with the country; that you are taking up too much of his valuable 

 time, and that you must excuse him for a moment. 



During all this time he remains invisible, or at most, his black eye and mask, 

 or golden breast, appear for a moment as he peers at you from the tangled 

 branches of the brambles, or flashes from branch to branch, dancing an ac- 

 companiment to his fantastic notes. And at last, he suddenly appears on the 

 top of a bush not ten feet from you, makes a profound bow, and with a de- 

 risive whisk of his long tail, exposes his immaculate white crissum and dives 

 again into the deepest thicket. You take a long breath and wipe your face, 

 and he returns to the assault from the rear. Should you move on, he follows, 

 and if you approach, he retires, and, keeping at a respectful distance, he laughs 

 defiance, shouts mockery and tantalizing sarcasm. He is a fearful scold, and it 

 is no wonder the inside of his mouth is black. 



And Taverner (1906) gives the following character sketch: 



With his stealthy elusiveness, wild outpourings of song and fund of vitupera- 

 tion, the Chat is a droll imp. * * * He is full of life and boiling over with 

 animation. It bubbles out of his throat in all manner of indescribable sounds. 



