162 THE YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT. 



small fruits. They are especially fond of the wild strawberries so abundant 

 in the Kentucky barrens. 



When migrating they move from bush to bush by day, and frequently 

 continue their march by night, especially should the moon be out and the 

 weather pleasant. Their flight is short and irregular at all times. When 

 alighted, they frequently jerk their tail, squat, and spring on their legs, and 

 are always in a state of great activity. I never observed them chasing 

 insects on the wing. 



I have presented you with several figures of this singular species, to shew 

 you their positions when on the wing performing their antics in the love 

 season as well as when alighted. The wild rose branch with the nest, was 

 cut out of a thicket for the purpose which you see accomplished. 



Yellow-breasted Chat, Pipra polyglotta, Wils. Amer. Orn., vol. i. p. 90. 

 Icteria viridis, Bonap. Syn., p. 69. 



Yellow-breasted Chat, Icteria viridis, Nutt. Man., vol. i. p. 299. 

 Yellow-breasted Chat, Icteria viridis, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. ii. p. 223; vol. v. p. 433. 



Adult Male. 



Bill of moderate length, strong, slightly arched, broad at the base, com- 

 pressed towards the end; upper mandible with the sides convex, the edges 

 acute, destitute of notch, the tip acute, and a little declinate; lower mandible 

 with the dorsal line nearly straight, the edge line slightly arched and inflected. 

 Nostrils rounded, half covered by a vaulted membrane. The form is rather 

 robust. Legs of moderate length, slender; tarsus compressed, anteriorly 

 scutellate, sharp behind; two lateral toes nearly equal, the hind one not much 

 stouter; claws small, compressed, acute. 



Plumage blended. Wings of moderate length, rounded; third and fourth 

 primaries longest, second almost equal, first a little shorter. Tail longish, 

 rounded. Feathers of the throat and breast with a silky gloss. 



Bill black, the base of lower mandible blue. Iris hazel. Feet greyish- 

 blue. The general colour of the upper parts is deep olive-green; the inner 

 webs of the tail-feathers and quills, and the ends of the latter, dusky-brown. 

 A line over the eye, a small streak under it, and a spot at the base of the 

 lower mandible, white. Lore black. Throat and breast bright yellow, 

 abdomen and under tail-coverts white. 



Length 7 inches; extent of wings 9; bill along the ridge -jjy a l° n g the 

 edge T 9 2-; tarsus |f. 



Adult Female. 



The female scarcely differs from the male in any perceptible degree, and 

 is of the same size. 



