QQ HIGHWAYS AND BYWAYS. 



for the first is still in sight in the same locust tree, flit- 

 ting carelessly about and apparently silent. Curious to 

 hear the new-comer I passed on, when the sounds were 

 heard in the opposite direction. I retraced my steps, 

 and now the strange medley came from the low bushes 

 about me, and while looking carefully for the unseen 

 chat that seemed so near, there came floating down to 

 me fi^om the tall locust's topmost branch the same series 

 of odd sounds and sweet warblings. The truth was now 

 clear ; the one bird had uttered every sound I had heard, 

 and by his ventriloquism had for the time completely 

 deceived me. My stud}^ of this habit and of its use 

 now commenced, and for long Aveeks I watched him to 

 test in every way his ability to mislead one by the exer- 

 cise of this peculiar power. A httle later the female 

 appeared, and the two quickly selected a suitable spot in 

 a tangled mass of blackberry briers at the foot of the 

 locust tree, and built a commodious but roughly con- 

 structed nest. While the mate was sitting, the male 

 chat seemed more animated than ever, and jealous of 

 any intruder, he threw his voice in every direction other 

 than towards the nest, whenever anyone came too near. 

 By watching from a concealment, I found that when 

 not disturbed they uttered fewer strange cries of imita- 

 tion, and seldom exercised their ventriloquial powers, 

 but however suddenly I appeared from my concealment, 

 there was an equally quick uttering of notes of distress, 

 coming as it seemed from a point several yards distant. 

 Yary my experiment as I would, it mattered not ; the 

 bird was thoroughly conscious of its ventriloquial 



