YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT. 



Icteria -virens. 



Above uniform olive-green ; throat, breast and lining of wings yellow ; 

 belly white, tinged on sides with brown ; a white stripe over, and a 

 white patch under the eye ; tail nearly even ; bill black ; feet brown. 

 Length, 7.50 inches. 



Migratory. Arrives early in May, leaves early in September. Nests in bushes. A 

 shy bird, odd and uncouth in its motions and with an extraordinary song, which Nuttall 

 thus rather fancifully describes : " Some of these notes resemble the whistling of the wings 

 of a flying duck, at first loud and rapid, then sinking till they seem to end in single notes. 

 Other tones are now heard like the barking of young puppies, with a variety of hollow, 

 guttural, uncommon sounds, and terminated occasionally by something like the mewing 

 of a cat." The song is frequently heard moonlight nights. 



The Chat is noted for its ventriloquial powers. This art it employs with good success 

 in luring enemies from its nest. 



Dr. Mearns, writing of one of "its ridiculous performances, " says : "It has the habit 

 of flying up in the air, with its legs dangling, then allowing itself to drop nearly to the 

 ground." 



