PERCHING BIRDS 



682. BELDING'S YELLOW-THROAT. Geothlypis 



Range. Lower California. 



This peculiar species is like the common Yel- 

 low-throat but has the black mask bordered by 

 yellow instead of white, and the black on the 

 forehead extends diagonally across the head from 

 in front of one eye to the rear of the other. Theii 

 habits are like those of the other Yellow-throats 

 and the nests are similar to those of the latter, 

 which are frequently placed in cane over the 

 water. Nests found by Mr. Walter E. Bryant 

 were situated in clumps of "cat-tails" between 

 two and three feet above the water; the nests 

 were made of dry strips of these leaves, lined 

 with fibres; the eggs were like those of the com- 

 mon Yellow-throats but larger; size .75 x .56. 



682.1. Rio GRANDE YELLOW-THROAT. Cham- 

 cethlypis poliocephala. 



Range. Mexico north to the Lower Rio Grande 

 Valley in Texas. 



This Yellow-throat has the crown and ear 

 coverts gray, only the lores and forehead being 

 black. The nests and eggs of these birds, which 

 are fairly common about Brownsville, Texas, do 

 not differ from those of the other Yellow-throats. 



683. YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT. Icteria virens 

 virens. 



Eastern United States, breeding from the Gulf 

 coast north to southern New England and Min- 

 nesota. 



This strange but handsome species is very com- 

 mon in underbrush and thickets in the south; they are 

 usually shy and endeavor, with success, to keep out of 

 sight, but their strange song and calls, consisting of 

 various whistles and squawks mingled together, are often 

 heard. Their nests are built in bushes or briars at low 

 elevations, being made of grass, strips of bark and leaves, 

 lined with finer grass; their eggs are white, sharply 

 speckled and spotted with various shades of brown and 

 lavender; size .90 x .70. 



Rio Grande Yellow-throat 

 Yellow-breasted Chat 



White 



LONG-TAILED CHAT. Icteria virens longicauda. 



Range. United States west of the Plains, breeding from Mexico to British 

 Columbia. 



This bird is said to be grayer and to have a slightly longer tail than the last. 

 Its nesting habits and eggs are precisely the same. 



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