GENUS 44. PIPRA. MANAKIN. 



SPECIES. PIPRA POLYGLOTTA. 



YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT. 



[Plate VI. Fig. 2.] 



Muscicapa viridis, GMEL. Syst. i, 936. Le Merle vert de la Caro- 

 line, BUFFON, in, 396. Chattering Flycatcher, Jirct. Zool. n, 

 7V*o. 266. LATH. Syn. in, 350, 48. Garrulus Australis, BAR- 

 TRAM, 290. PEALE'S Museum, JVo. 6661.* 



Tiiis is a very singular bird. In its voice and manners, and 

 the habit it has of keeping concealed, while shifting and vocife- 

 rating around you, it differs from most other birds with which 

 I am acquainted; and has considerable claims to originality of 

 character. It arrives in Pennsylvania about the first week in 

 May, and returns to the south again as soon as its young are 

 able for the journey, which is usually about the middle of Au- 

 gust; its term of residence here being scarcely four months. The 

 males generally arrive several days before the females, a circum- 

 stance common with many other of our birds of passage. 



When he has once taken up his residence in a favourite situa- 

 tion, which is almost always in close thickets of hazel, brambles, 

 vines, and thick underwood, he becomes very jealous of his pos- 

 sessions, and seems offended at the least intrusion; scolding every 

 passenger as soon as they come within view, in a great variety 

 of odd and uncouth monosyllables, which it is difficult to des- 

 cribe, but which may be readily imitated so as to deceive the 

 bird himself, and draw him after you for half a quarter of a 

 mile at a time, as I have sometimes amused myself in doing, 

 and frequently without once seeing him. On these occasions 



* Idem dumicola, VIEILI. Ois. de Mm. Sept. pi. 55. 



