WARBLERS. 67 



times placed in a hollow in the ground. It is a large massive 

 structure for the size of the bird, composed chiefly of dry grasses, 

 leaves, strips of bark and small twigs and decayed vegetable mat- 

 ter. An inner nest is constructed, which is lined with fine grasses 

 carefully interwoven. 



I have always found the nesis of this -Warbler in low swampy 

 places. The eggs are from four to six in number, and vary great- 

 ly in size. Eggs from different parts of the United States are 

 quoted as exhibiting *'a variation in length of from .55 to .72 of an 

 _ inch, and in breadth from .48 to .58 of an inch ; the smallest being 

 from Georgia, and the largest from Kansas. They have a beauti- 

 ful clear crystalline-white ground, dotted and blotched around the 

 greater end with purple, reddish-brown and umber. 



123. ICTERIA VIRENS. 



YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT. 



Common throughout the Eastern United States. 



In Ohio it begins to build about the middle of May, construct- 

 ing its nest within a lew feet of the ground, in low bushes, bram- 

 bles and vines, generally in a thicket. It is a rude and somewhat 

 loosely-woven nest, composed mainly of dry leaves, grasses and 

 twigs. The inner portion is more compactly made of finer dry 

 grasses and small fibrous roots. 



The eggs are of a rounded-oval shape, and vary in length from 

 .85 to "95 of an inch, and in breadth from .65 to .70. The ground- 

 color is white, dotted and blotched with reddish-brown, purplish 

 and lilac. 



123a. ICTEKIA VIRENS LONGICAUDA. 



LONG-TAILED CHAT. 



Habitat, the Western Province of United States. 



According to Mr. Ridgway, the nesting habils of this Species 

 are exactly the same as those of the preceding, but the eggs are 

 larger, varying "in length from .95 to 1. 00 of an inch, and have 

 an average breadth of .70 of an inch. Their markings do not differ 

 essentially in shadings from those of the common species." 



