590 BULLETIN 2 3, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



The food of the young consisted almost entirely of soft-bodied orthoptera and 

 larval lepidoptera. The only insect definitely identified was the large green 

 mantis {Paratenodera sinensis), two half-grown specimens of which were fed 

 the four-day old young. An unknown species of brown, almost hairless cater- 

 pillar was the greatest capture in numbers. A small green long-horned locust 

 and a small brownish grasshopper also were fed the youngsters. 



Four-day old young were fed only six times in five hours by the female, al- 

 though the male attempted unsuccessfully to feed them several times. Cope- 

 land (1909), however, records a feeding time average of once every thirty-four 

 minutes for the four-day old young over a thirteen-hour period. 



The nest was kept very clean and the female, after feeding the young, would 

 look carefully about the nest and if any excretory capsules were present she 

 would pick them up in her bill and eat them. On one occasion, after swallow- 

 ing the excretory sacs of two of the young she pulled a third capsule from the 

 anus of the third and flew off with it. 



Plvmiages. — The yellow-breasted chat seems to be the only wood 

 warbler that develops no natal down, and the only one that has a 

 complete post ju venal molt, characteristics that suggest a wrong 

 classification ! 



Dr. Dwight (1900) describes the juvenal plumage as "above, grayish 

 olive-brown. Wings and tail olive-brown, edged with dull brownish 

 olive-green. Below, ashy gray washed with olive-gray across the 

 jugulum and on the sides. Auriculars grayish and lores dusky 

 with a trace of white above the eye. * * * This plumage has been 

 figured in colors {Auh, XVI, 1899, pp. 217-220, pi. III)." 



The first winter plumage is "acquired by a complete postjuvenal 

 moult after the middle of July. Two specimens examined show 

 a complete moult in progress and the color and shape of rectrices in 

 the limited material at my disposal points to this unusual moult, for 

 this is the only Warbler known to me that renews wings and tail at 

 this time." 



He describes the first winter plumage of the male as "above, brown- 

 ish olive-green, the wings and tail darker than in juvenal plumage 

 and with greener edgings. Below, bright lemon-yellow, somewhat 

 veiled with olive-gray, the abdomen and crissum dull white, the sides 

 washed with olive-brown. Lores, suborbital region and postocular 

 stripe dull black, veiled with ashy feather tips. Superciliary, sub- 

 orbital and malar stripes white. Young and old become practically 

 indistinguishable although young birds are rather duller." 



The first and subsequent nuptial plumages are assumed by wear 

 and slight fading of the browns and greens. Adults have a complete 

 postnuptial molt in July, producing the adult winter plumage, which 

 differs but little from that of the first winter, the black areas about 

 the head averaging blacker. 



Females have the same molts and similar plumages, the colors being 

 only lighter or duller. 



