692 



BULLETIN 50. UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



ICTERIA VIRENS VIRENS (Linnaeus). 

 YELIOW-BREASIED CHAT. 



Adidt nude In spring andaniiinuir. — Above plain grayish olive-green, 

 grayer on upper tail-coverts and (usually) lower rump; a superciliary 

 stripe (extending from nostrils to a short distance behind eye), a cres- 

 centic mark on lower eyelid, and anterior portion of malar region 

 white; lores and suborbital region (immediately beneath the white 

 mark on lower eyelid) black or dark slaty; auricular region gray 

 (sometimes tinged with olive-green), with narrow and indistinct paler 

 shaft-streaks; chin, throat, malar region (except anterior portion), 

 chest, breast, upper abdomen, and anterior half or more of sides rich, 

 pure gamboge or lemon yellow, sometimes (in highly plumaged speci- 

 mens) tinged with orange;^ flanks pale gray, buffy gray, or grayish 

 buffy; rest of under parts white, the under tail-coverts sometimes 

 tinged with buff; axillars and under wing-coverts yellow; bill and 

 inside of mouth black; iris brown; legs and feet dusky in dried skins, 

 bluish gray in life; length (skins), 154-173 (162.8); wing, 73.5-81 

 (76.6); tail, 70-83.5 (7-1.5); exposed culmen, 13-11.5 (14.1); tarsus, 

 25-27 (26.3); middle toe, 15.5-17 (16.2).' 



Adalt female in Hprliuj and summer. — Similar to the adult male, but 

 slightly smaller, and more or less duller in coloration," the black or 

 dark slate of lores and suborbital region usually replaced by gray, the 

 yellow of under parts usually less pure or deep (that on sides of breast 

 sometimes tinged with olive), the flanks and under tail-coverts more 

 strongly buffy, and the mandible usually more or less light colored; 

 length (skins), 148-162 (157.4); wing, 72-77 (74.4); tail, 69-75 (71.8); 

 exposed culmen, 13-14 (13.5); tarsus, 25-2Y (25.9); middle toe, 15-16.5 

 (15-7).' 



^ The orange sometimes as irregular patches or blotches. 



^ Ten specimens. 



' Brighter colored females, however, are not distinguishable from duller colored 

 males. 



* Eight specimens. 



Specimens from opposite sides of the Allegheny Mountains average, respectively, as 

 follows: 



