174 
SINGING BIRDS. 
or 40 feet, with his legs hanging down, and descending as he 
rose, by repeated jerks, he seems to be in a paroxysm of fear 
and anger. The usual mode of flying is not, however, different 
from that of other birds. 
The food of the Icteria consists of beetles and other shelly 
insects ; and as the summer advances, they feed on various 
kinds of berries, like the Flycatchers, and seem particularly 
fond of whortleberries. They are frequent through the Middle 
States, in hedges, thickets, and near rivulets and watery 
situations. 
This Chat is now found regularly in Connecticut and northern 
Ohio, and sparingly in Massachusetts. A few examples have been 
taken in New Hampshire and southern Ontario. 
YELLOW-THROATED VIREO. 
ViREO FLAVIFRONS. 
Char. Above, rich olive, shading to ashy gray on the rump ; line 
across the forehead and around the eyes yellow; throat and breast rich 
yellow ; belly white, sides shaded with pale olive ; wings dusky with two 
white bars; tail dusky, the feathers edged with white. Length 5 to 6 
inches. 
Nest. In woods or orchard; suspended from fork of branch 510 3c 
feet from the ground (usually about 10 feet) ; a graceful and compact 
structure of grass and strips of bark covered with lichens and lined with 
grass or pine needles. 
Eggs. 3-5 ; white with roseate tint, thickly spotted around the large 
end with shades of brown ; 0.80 X 0.60 
This species of Vireo, or Warbling Flycatcher, visits the 
Middle and Northern States of the Union about the beginning 
of May or as soon as his insect food allows him a means of 
subsistence. He resides chiefly in the forests, where he hunts 
his tiny prey among the high branches ; and as he shifts from 
twig to twig in restless pursuit, he often relieves his toil with a 
somew'hat sad and indolent note, w’hich he repeats, with some 
variation, at short intervals. This song appears like 'prcca 
'preea, etc., and it sometimes finishes with a complaining call 
