NESTS AND EGGS OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 33 



The eggs are not distinguishable from those of the Maryland Yellow- 

 throat. The only nest known of this bird was found by Mr. John Bur- 

 roughs, in the State of New York, in ferns about a foot from the ground, 

 on the edge of a hemlock wood. It was quite massive, composed of 

 stalks and weeds. The cavity was quite deep and lined with fine black 

 roots. The eggs were three in number of the color and size just described. 

 Breeds chiefly in the northern tier of States and along the British border. 



Hab. Eastern Province of United States and British America; north casually to Greenland; west to 

 Kansas and Dakota. 



121. Macgillivray's Warbler — geothlypis macgillivrayi. Pinkish- 

 white, marked and spotted with purple, lilac, reddish-brown and dark 

 brown, approaching black ; the complement of eggs is usually four, size 

 •75 by .50. This bird breeds in abundance in Utah, Montana, Idaho, 

 Oregon, Washington Territory, and probably also in Northern California, 

 and is said to breed throughout its United States range. The nest is 

 placed usually in low underbrush or thickets, cup-like in shape, loosely 

 constructed of slender strips of bark, decayed stalks of plants, and grasses, 

 lined with finer material of the same. 



Hab. Western and Middle Province of United States; north to British Columbia. 



122. Maryland Yellow-throat — geothlypis trichas. Clear crystalline 

 white, dotted and blotched around the greater end with purple, reddish- 

 brown and umber; the number of eggs in a set ranges from four to six 

 and vary greatly in size, averaging about .70 by .55. This active little 

 Warbler breeds throughout its United States range. The nest is not easy 

 to find, being built on the ground, snugly tucked under the foot of bush or 

 tussock of rank grass, and sometimes partly roofed over like the Oven 

 Bird's. The favorite resorts of this Warbler are in low, swampy places or 

 in the shadowy undergrowth of woodland. It resembles a wren in its 

 fondness for bush and brier. On approaching such places early in spring 

 one is almost sure to be saluted with its sprightly song, full of energy. 

 My friend, Mr. Thomas M. Earl, has given me, verbally, the best descrip- 

 tion of this bird's song that I know of One evening in May, 1884, he 

 was returning from a day's hunt, and after a rest on an old log, with 

 empty gun in hand, he was about to start on his journey homeward. At 

 this instant a little Yellow-throat mounted a small bush and in quick suc- 

 cession said, tackle me! tackle me! tackle me! as if defying the in- 

 truder with his empty gun. 



Hab. United States from Atlantic to Pacific at large; south to Me.xico and Central America. 



123. Yellow-breasted Chat — icteria virens. Glossy-white, with spots 

 of reddish-brown, pretty evenly distributed, sometimes forming a ring 

 around the greater end ; three to five eggs are generally laid, and vary in 



