172 BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



First phitiiaor. Rciniecfi. re(><rlL-eH. et<-., iip In tlu' mlull. Hcnil suporlnrly uiiJ 

 latonilly, uniform eniyisli ollvu, with a Imn-ly a|i|>r<'i'iiil>li' wliitiHii sui>nili>nil lino iinii 

 urbitnl rlutc.anil trithout black markiitfjA. WIhiIc ttir'^at palf a.>tii-(;ray 'almost whiti* on 

 the oliiu). staini'd IntLTally and anteriorly with yellow: entiru hroimt i;aniboi>>--yi-llow, 

 obsi'uri'd with ollvjircous gray across the jUKulum (probably •■ntire eniy at at Unit, tbo 

 yellow feathorB b.-ini: probably the boKlnnlnc of the llrst muult). Abdomen while: 

 flanks and crisaum pale bulT. 



In most parts of Illinois the Yellow-breasted Chat is an ahundant 

 bii-d in suitable locahties. These consist of the bordere of thickets, 

 briar-patches, or wherever there is a low, dense growth of bushes — 

 the thornier and more impenetrable the better. Probablj- none of 

 our birds except the Mockingbird itself possess a greater variety of 

 notes than tliis loquacious species, on wliich account it is not unfre- 

 quently known as the "Yellow Mockingbird." All its notes appear 

 to be original, however, although some of them suggest very strongly 

 those of other creatures. Thus, one of them resembles closely the 

 barking of a pup ; another, the mewing of a cat ; and a third, the 

 whistling sound produced by a duck's wings when Hying, only much 

 louder. This last is the sound most frequently heard, and may be 

 recognized at a distance of a quarter of a mile, or more, the other 

 notes being interludes between repetitious of the whistling song. 

 The latter can be very perfectly imitated by a good whistler, and 

 the bu'd thereby brought instantly to the spot, where he dodges in 

 and out among the bushes, uttering constantly, if the whistling be 

 repeated, a deep-toned, emphatic tuc, or hollow, resonant meow. 

 During the height of the breeding season the male becomes exceed- 

 ingly animated and tuneful, ascending, by short flights and jumps, 

 from branch to branch, to the top of a small tree, singing vocif- 

 erously all the while — and then launcliing into the air, danghng its 

 legs and flirtmg his tail, descends, by odd jerks, to the thicket. 



The notes of this species are heard regularly during moonlight 

 nights, throughout the breeding season. 



The nest is built in a thicket, usually in a thorny bush or thick 

 vine. It is bulky, composed exteriorly of dry leaves, strips of loose 

 grape-vine bark and similar materials, and lined with tine grasses 

 and hbrous roots. Tlie eggs are three to live in number, glossy 

 wliite, thickly spotted witli various shades of rich, reddish brown 

 and hlac. 



The species appears to be rather rare in the extreme northern 

 portion of the State; but Mr. Douglas informs me that he has 

 taken its eggs a few miles north of Waukegan, while Mr. Coale records 

 iu his notes one specimen from Chcago, 



