320 BIRDS OF ALABAMA 



ported February 7, 1878, but the species did not appear there 

 in numbers until March 5.* The first migrants were noted 

 at Greensboro, March 11 (1890), and March 20 (1887); 

 Shelby, March 11 (1898) ; Woodbine, March 16 (1908) ; and 

 Jackson Lake, Elmore County, March 27 (1912, specimen). 

 Eggs were found by Golsan at Autaugaville, May 15, 1910, and 

 by Avery, at Greensboro, April 26 and May 24, 1888. 



General habits. — The southern yellow-throat inhabits the 

 same situations as do its northern relatives and in addition is 

 found in the wet marshes along the Gulf coast. It is a slight- 

 ly larger and darker-colored bird than trichas but has essen- 

 tially the same habits. 



Food habits. — Six stomachs of this subspecies taken in Ala- 

 bama have been examined and found to contain remains of 

 flies, beetles, bugs, ants and other Hymenoptera, caterpillars, 

 and spiders. 



NORTHERN YELLOW-THROAT: Geothlypis trichas 

 brachidactyla (Swainson).t 



State records. — The northern yellow-throat occurs in Ala- 

 bama as a migrant and possibly as a winter resident. The 

 Biological Survey collection contains 8 specimens taken in the 

 State, as follows: Auburn, October 2, 1908; April 27, 1912; 

 Fairhope and Bon Secour, October 16, 1908; Jackson Lake 

 (Elmore County), March 27, 1912; Thomasville, Api:il 11, 

 1912'; Florence, May 8, 1912; and Tuscaloosa, April 6, 1914. 



YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT: Icteria virens virens 

 (Linnaeus) . 



State records. — The yellow-breasted chat is a common and 

 generally distributed summer resident, except in the Gulf 

 Strip, where it is rare or absent. It has been observed in the 

 breeding season south to Autaugaville, Scale, and Abbeville. 

 Spring migrants were first seen at Greensboro, April 8 

 (1893) ; Hollins, April 11 (1908) ; Anniston, April 16 (1916) ; 

 Leighton, Apr il 16 (1891) ; Autaugaville, April 20 (1913) ; 



♦Brown, N. C, Bull. Nutt Ornith. Club, vol. 3, p. 174, 1878. 

 tFor use of this name see The Auk, vol 86, p. 212, 1918. 



