260 



In the fall of 1885 the last migrant left Elk Kiver, Minn., September 

 24. At Grinnell, Iowa, the last was seen September 26, and at Monnt 

 Cartnel, Mo., September 27. They were numerous at Saint Louis, Mo., 

 September 16, but the bulk had departed before September 26. The 

 last was noted September 29. A very late migrant was seen at Lanes- 

 boro, Minn., October 3. 



683. Icteria virens (Linn.). [123.] Yellow-breasted Chat. 



A summer resident in all but the northern part of the Mississippi 

 Valley, east of the plains. 



Wintering beyond our southern border, it entered the district in the 

 spring of 1884 about the 1 st of March. March 15 it was reported from 

 Gainesville, Tex., and April 25 from Manhattan, Kans. The next day 

 found it at Saint Louis, Mo., but while the bulk was reported as arriv- 

 ing at that place April 29, the bulk was not recorded from Manhat- 

 tan, Kans., until May 10. This day, May 10, seems to have been the 

 day of special movement for the Chat, as on that day it was noted from 

 latitude 41° 40' in Iowa; latitude 42° 18' Iowa; and latitude 40° 08' in 

 Illinois. It has been reported in past years from southeastern Dakota 

 and southwestern Minnesota, but in 1884 the most northern notes were 

 from central Nebraska and central Iowa. Thus, contrary to the usual 

 rule, it reached Manhattan, Kans., before it did Saint Louis, Mo.; and, 

 furthermore, the dates from Illinois were later than those from Missouri 

 and Iowa. For example, for latitude 39° 19' in Illinois, tbe date is May 

 7 ; for latitude 40° 08 / in Illinois, May 10 ; for latitude 42° 16' in Illinois, 

 May 13. These observations, coupled with the fact that the species is 

 not known to winter in the West Indies, though found in Central 

 America and Mexico, would make it probable that most of the indi- 

 viduals enter the United States through Mexico, and that tbe migration 

 is in a northeasterly direction. 



In the spring of 1885 the earliest record of the Yellow-breasted Chat 

 came from the extreme southwest, where it was seen at San Antonio, 

 Tex., April 14. It reached Gainesville and Bonham, in northern Texas, 

 April 17 and April 18. At Saint Louis, Mo., Chats were seen April 21; 

 at Manhattan, Kans., April 22; at Mount Carmel, Mo., April 30; Cor- 

 inth, Miss., April 30; Newton, Iowa, April 30; Fayette, Mo., May 1; 

 Des Moines, Iowa, May 11; Huron, Dak., May 12; and Grinnell, Iowa, 

 May 18. Thus the record in 1885 was not so regular as in the previous 

 year. 



In the fall of 1885 the last Chats at Grinnell, Iowa, and Mount Car- 

 mel, Mo., were seen July 20. At Saint Louis, Mo., they remained until 

 August 18. But none were seen at Bonham, Tex., after August 6. 

 Mr. Lloyd says it is a tolerably common spring migrant in Tom Green 

 and Concho Counties, Tex. 



683 a. Icteria virens longicauda (Lawr.). [123 a.] Long-tailed Chat. 



The habitat of this Chat touches the western part of our district along 

 the edge of the plains. Colonel Goss has found it breeding in western 



