186 THE YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT 
leaves, carefully wrapped, and within of fine grasses and horse-hair. Hggs, 3- 
5, white, rather openly spotted or minutely speckled with reddish brown. Av. size, 
90170) (22:0 i 7S))e 
General Range.—Eastern United States to the Plains, breeding north to 
Ontario and southern New England ; south in winter to eastern Mexico, Guatemala, 
Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. 
Range in Ohio.—Abundant in south and central Ohio, decreasing northerly. 
In some northern localities rare. 
Taken near Columbus. 
Photo by the Author. 
THE HAUNT OF THE CHAT. 
IF there is a feathered oddity in America, it is the Yellow-breasted Chat ; 
and when you listen to his quaint medley of calls, caws, squawks, pipings and 
objurgations, you almost feel that the scientists must be as queer as himself 
for having placed him among the Warblers. Structurally he does belong to 
this family, but his vocal performances are about as far from warbling as 
midnight is from midday. 
His home is in the thickets along the border of the woods or in the un- 
dergrowth of partial clearings. As you approach his haunt, you will hear 
a low, querulous ““Cook-cook-cook,” suggesting a world of apprehension, as 
