VELLOW-HREASTED CHAT. 



63n 



tips 



nfthofr 



ICTERIA VIRENS. 

 Yeliow-breasted Chat. 



DESCRIPTION. 

 Color Adult mule. 



Si-/,i'. Inr^e, Fii-iii, r(il)u.st 

 ithers (if the ti']i of he.ul .)bscurel.v tip])ed with dusky, 

 obscure bauds of the same. 





>;■" 



Fig. Un. Head of Yello^v- 

 l^l•elste(i Chat in spring ; A, up- 

 per inaudible of same. 



Length, fri.ira 7.1(") to 7.o~) ; 

 -■")■'); tai'sus, .li.j to I.UU. 



Above, uniform olive green, with the 

 and the tail is marked with numerous 

 Beneath, from base of lower mandible to 

 middle of body, including under wing coverts, bright gamboge yellow. 

 Lores, extending back beneath eye, black. Line from nostrils to eve, 

 both eyelids and a short maxillary stripe and unmentioned parts be- 

 neath, white. L-is and feet brown. Bill, black. Females, similar, 

 but with the head markings not as distinct. Li winter both sexes arc 

 tinged with brown above and ochraceous beneath. Nestlings, with 

 the wings and tail as in the adults, but the head is grayish, and the 

 yellow below is much ob.-cured with grayish, and the flanks are buff. 



OBSERVATIONS. 

 Known at once by the peculiar form, olive above and yellow below. 

 Breeds throughout Eastern United States north to Southern New 

 England, locally as fir as the neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, 

 Ontario and Iowa ; west to the edge of the Great Plains. 



DIMENSIONS. 

 stretch, 1).7() to 10.00: wing, 3.10 to 3.20; tail, 3.10 to 9.25 ; bill, .50 to 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 

 N iv> Ts, ])laced in trees and bushes, composed of leaves, coarse grass and plant stems, lined with finer 

 material. Egus, usually four, often three, rarely five in number, oval in form, inclined to be elliptical, glossy 

 white in color, sptjtted and blotched with reddish brown and lilac, usually more thickly on the larger end, 

 where the markings sometimes form a ring. Dimensions, .85 by .05 to .'JO by .70. 



HABITS. 



As iiitim ite I uiidji' ohserv.itioiis!, the Yellow-broasted Chat was by the older authors 

 up to Audul);)rn'H time, considered a.s a species of tlie large ftimily of Manikins most of 

 wliich are tropical species, and many of wliich are similarly strongly colored with black, 

 yellow and white. While it is probable that this singular bird is not closely related to 

 the Manikins, it is also clear to my mind that it should not Ije regarded as a member of the 

 family of the American Warblers, for in no character, excepting in the very general ones 

 of havmg nine primaries, does ir exhibit an\- approach to them, and as is well known it 

 possesses man^' habits which aiXMiuite at variance with all of them. 



The first specimen of the Yellow-breasted Chat that I ever saw, I procured in the 

 spring near my place in Newton ville nearly thirty-five years ago. It was perched on a 

 small tree wliich ovcihnng a little stream of water, and my attention was attracted to it 

 by its singular song. 1 did not meet witij another specimen until I found them not lui. 



