WOOD WARBLERS 



467 



ered with much force and energy. It varies greatly with locality, a 

 fact which may account for the quite different descriptions given of 

 it by authors. Sometimes it is written wichity, wichity, wichity, wichity; 

 again, rapity, rapity, etc. ; but the birds near New York City seem to me 

 to say I beseech you, I beseech you, I beseech you, I beseech you; though, 

 to be sure, the tone is far from pleading. 



They sing throughout the summer, and include a flight-song in 

 their repertoire. This is usually uttered toward evening, when the bird 

 springs several feet into the air, hovers for a second, and then drops 

 back to the bushes. 



68 Ib. G. t. ignota Chapm. FLORIDA YELLOW-THROAT. Similar to the 

 preceding, but with longer tarsus, tail, and bill; yellow of underparts of a 

 deeper shade and of greater extent; flanks of a much darker color; upper- 

 parts browner; black mask wider, its ashy border (in summer specimens) 

 slightly paler and of greater extent ; first primary shorter, equaling the eighth 

 instead of the sixth. W., 2'17; T., 2'18; B., '47. 



Range. SE. U. S. Breeds in Austroriparian fauna from the Dismal 

 Swamp, Va., s. to Fla. and along the Gulf coast at least to La.; winters from 

 the coast of S. C. to se. Tex. and Cuba. 



Nesting date, Charleston, S. C., May 9. 



In Florida this southern representative of the Maryland Yellow- 

 throat is usually found in dense growths of scrub palmetto. Its song 

 differs recognizably from that of the northern bird. 



683. Icteria virens virens (Linn.}. YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT. Ads. 

 Largest of the Warblers; upperparts, 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. 



Range. E. N. Am. Breeds mainly 

 in Upper and Lower Austral zones from 

 s. Minn., Wise., Mich., Ont., cen. N. Y., 

 and s. New England s. to se. Tex., s. 

 parts of Gulf States, and n. Fla. ; win- 

 ters from Puebla, Vera Cruz, to Costa 

 Rica; casual in Maine. 



Washington, common S. R., Apl. 

 16-Sept. 28. Ossining, common S. R., 

 Apl. 28-Aug. 29. Cambridge, rather 

 rare and irregular S. R., May 15 Sept. 

 N. Ohio, common S. R., May 1-Sept. 

 15. Glen Ellyn, local, not common. May 10- Aug. 16. SE. Minn., rare S. 

 R. (?). 



Nest, rather bulky, of coarse grasses, leaves, and strips of bark well 

 interwoven, lined with finer grasses, in a crotch, near the ground. Eggs, 

 3-5, white, rather evenly speckled and spotted with rufous-brown, "90 x '66. 

 Date, Chatham Co., Ga., May 7; Waynesburg, Pa., May 10; New Haven, 

 Conn., May 22; Oberlin, Ohio, May 15. 



Bushy undergrowths or thickets in partial clearings form the home 



of the Chat. After an acquaintance of many years I frankly confess that 



his true character is a mystery to me. While listening to his strange 



medley and watching his peculiar actions, we are certainly justified 



32 



FIG. 131. Yellow-breasted Chat. 

 (Natural size.) 



