372 



WOOD WARBLERS. 



Fig. 110. 



-Yellow-breasted Chat. 

 (Natural size.) 



This southern representative of the Maryland Yellow-throat is 

 usually found in dense !;rowths of scrub palmetto. Its song is quite 

 unlike that of the northern bird. 



683. Icteria virens {Linn.). Yellow-breasted Chat. Ad.— 

 Largest of the Warblers ; upper parts, wings, and tail olive-green ; line from 

 the eye to the bill, one on the side of the throat, and eye-ring white; throat, 



breast, and upper belly bright yellow ; 

 lower belly white; sides grayish. L., 

 7-44; W., 3-00 ; T., 3-07 ; B. from N., -41. 

 Bange. — Eastern United States; 

 breeds as far north as southern Minne- 

 sota and Massachusetts ; and winters in 

 Central America. 



Washington, common S. R., Apl. 29 

 to Sept. Sing Sing, common S. R., 

 Apl. 28 to Aug. 29. Cambridge, rather 

 rare S. R., May 15 to (?). 



Nest^ rather bulky, of coarse grasses, 

 leaves, and strips of bark well interwoven, lined with liner grasses, in a crotch 

 near the ground. J^ggs., three to five, white, rather evenly speckled and 

 spotted with rufous-brown, -90 x -66. 



Bushy undergrowths or thickets in partial clearings form the 

 home of the Chat. After an acquaintance of many years 1 frankly 

 confess that his true character is a mystery to me. While listening to 

 his strange medley and watching his peculiar actions, we are cer- 

 tainly justified in calling him eccentric, but that there is method in 

 his madness no one who studies him closely can doubt. 



Is the odd jumble of whistles, chucks, and caws uttered by one 

 bird in that copse yonder, or by half a dozen different birds in as many 

 places ? Approach cautiously, and perhaps you may see him in the 

 air — a bunch of feathers twitched downward by the queer, jerky notes 

 which animate it. One might suppose so peculiar a performance 

 would occupy his entire attention, but nevertheless he has seen you ; 

 in an instant his manner changes, and the happy-go-lucky clown, who 

 a moment before was turning aerial somersaults, has become a shy, 

 suspicious haunter of the depths of the thicket, whence will come his 

 querulous chut, chut as long as your presence annoys him. 



684. Sylvania mitrata {Gmel.). Hooded Warbler. (Fig. 108.) 

 Ad. $. — Forehead and cheeks bright yellow; crown black, connected behind 

 with the black throat; upper parts, wings, and tail olive-green; outer tail- 

 feathers with inner vane mostly white; breast and belly yellow; bill with 

 evident bristles at its base. Ad. $ . — Similar, but with the black on head 

 and breast somewhat restricted and less sharply defined. Im. $ . — Similar to 

 ad. $ , but the black feathers with yellow tips. Im. 9 .—Similar to ad. 9 , but 



