DIRECTORY TO BIRDS OF EASTERIS" NORTH AMERICA. 255 



1. AMERICAN REDSTART, S. ruticilla. 



Fio-, 



5.40; black 

 334, 



excepting on abdomen ; six red- 

 dish-orange patches on sides, 

 wings and tail, plate 21. Female, 

 and young raiale, with the black 

 replaced by grayish and the spots 

 by yellow. Breeds from N. C. and 

 Ark. north to Hudson Bay, west 

 to Utah ; winters in the Bahamas 

 and West Indies ; casually in S. C. ; 

 south in Aug., Sep., and Oct.; 

 north in April. Restless, constant- 

 ly moving and spreading its tail. 

 Song, a sharp, trill-like warble of 

 from four to six notes, given rapidly and ending abruptly 



I. CHATS. Icteridae. 



CC, H, z, 3. 1-3. 



Larger than in H; bill, rather thick, arched; wings, 

 short, rounded: tail, long; rounded. 



a. Olive and Yellow Chats. Icteria. 



Greenish above ; yellow below. Sexes, similar. Xests, 

 in bushes. 



1. YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, I. vikens. 7.25 ; spot 

 in front of eye, white ; line in this, extending from bill to 

 eye, black, fig. 335. Breeds from southern N. E. (rarely 

 from Mass.) west to southern Mich, and Wis. south to thg 

 Carolinas ; winters in Central America ; south in Aug. and 

 Sep. ; north in April and May. Frequents thickets and low 

 growths; shy and retiring, oftener heard than seen. Habits 

 somewhat wren-like ; drops wings and raises tail. Notes, 

 much varied, with whistles, chucklings, trills, and oriole- 

 like scolds; flight song a series of whistling "TMies" given as 

 the bird drops downward in jerks with wings thrown up- 

 ward, tail down, and legs dangling. 



