BIRDS OF 



HAB. Eastern United States to the Plains, north to Ontario and South- 

 ern New England, south in winter to Eastern Mexico and Guatemala. 



Nest, in a thicket, in the upright fork of a sapling, 3 to 6 feet from the 

 ground ; composed of leaves, strips of grape vine bark and grass, lined with 

 fine withered grass and fibre. 



Eggs, 3 to 4; very smooth, white, spotted and blotched with several shades 

 of reddish-brown. 



Bird collecting is attended with all the excitement of other 

 speculations, the very uncertainty as to the amount of success 

 attainable tending to increase the feeling. 



Laying aside accidents by gun, boat or buggy, much time 

 and labor are sometimes expended with very slim results, while 

 on the other hand the prizes are often obtained quite unexpect- 

 edly. On the 1 6th of May, 1884, I went for a short excursion 

 to the woods, impressed with the feeling that I had lately spent 

 too much time collecting common species which I already had, 

 and that by a more careful inspection of the birds I came across 

 I should have a better chance of finding something new. I in- 

 spected quite a number that afternoon, but came back without 

 a specimen of any kind, and as it began to rain I got home 

 thoroughly damped, and unhitched my horse, firm in the belief 

 that the subject was unworthy the attention I was giving it. 

 Just then I noticed an olive-backed bird lying dead on the 

 ground close by, and on picking it up found it to be the decay- 

 ing body of a Yellow-breasted Chat, which had probably been 

 killed by flying against the telegraph wire which passed over 

 where it was found. It had evidently been there for two or 

 three days, and I must have passed close to it several times 

 daily. It was too far gone for preservation, so I had to console 

 myself with its being the first record of the species in Canada. 

 A week or so afterwards when visiting Mr. Dickson, who is 

 Station-master on the G. T. R. at Waterdown, he pointed out 

 to me an old, unused mill-race, grown up with briars and bram- 

 bles, where the day before he had seen a pair of Chats mated. 

 Mr. Dickson was collecting at the time, and was greatly sur- 

 prised at their suddenly appearing within ten feet of where he 

 was standing, but on his moving backward, with a view of get- 

 aye 



