ICTERIA VIRENS : YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT. 169 



the vicinity of Lynn. In Connecticut, as would be 

 expected, the Chat is a regular summer visitor, and 

 Mr. J. N. Clark has found it nesUng constantly at 

 Saybrook. It arrives early in May, and departs in 

 September. It inhabits shrubbery, and in fact any 

 kind of undergrowth ; the nest being built in a thick 

 bush, generally but two or three feet from the ground, 

 of withered leaves, dried grasses, strips of bark and 

 the like, lined with fine fibres. The eggs, to the num- 

 ber usually of three or four, have a brilliant white 

 ground and polished surface; but the markings, as 

 shown by a series of over twenty before me, are too 

 variable to be readily described. As a rule, the eggs 

 are thickly and pretty evenly spotted and blotched with 

 several shades of reddish-brown, with the usual lilac 

 under-markings, the tendency being, however, to ag- 

 gregation toward the larger end ; some specimens are 

 only minutely dotted, and with paler purplish-brown 

 spots. The variation in size and shape is equally great, 

 the average being perhaps 1.00X0.80. The bird is 

 extremely vivacious when pairing, and noted for the 

 brilliant song it executes at such times, with many 

 aerial evolutions and other extravagant actions. It is 

 an expert ventriloquist, and very cunning in mis- 

 leading one as to its whereabouts when hiding in the 

 bushes. Notwithstanding its large size and bright 

 color, the Chat would oftenest pass unnoticed, so 

 sedulous is it of concealment, were it not betrayed 

 by the rich, voluble song,, and the frequent display it 

 makes on wing. Among its many eccentricities, it 

 has a fondness for keeping late hours, and on moon- 

 lit nitrhts its riotous serenades often startle more orderly 

 birds from their slumbers. 



