YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT. 93 



his mate and young ; and when we consider the great distance 

 which in all probability he comes, the few young produced at 

 a time, and that seldom more than once in the season, We can 

 see the wisdom of Providence very manifestly in the ardency 

 of his passions. 



Mr Catesby seems to have first figured the yellow-breasted 

 chat ; and the singularity of its manners has not escaped him. 

 After repeated attempts to shoot one of them, he found him- 

 self completely baffled : and was obliged, as he himself informs 

 us, to employ an Indian for that purpose, who did not succeed 

 without exercising all his ingenuity. Catesby also observed 

 its dancing manoeuvres, and supposed that it always flew with 

 its legs extended ; but it is° only in these paroxysms of rage 

 and anxiety that this is done, as I have particularly observed. 

 The food of these birds consists chiefly of large black beetles, 

 and other coleopterous insects ; I have also found whortle- 

 berries frequently in their stomach, in great quantities, as well 

 as several other sorts of berries* They are very numerous in 

 the neighbourhood of Philadelphia, particularly on the borders 

 of rivulets, and other watery situations, in hedges, thickets, 

 &c, but are seldom seen in the forest, even where there is 

 underwood. Catesby indeed asserts, that they are only found 

 on the banks of large rivers, two or three hundred miles from 

 the sea ; but, though this may be the case in South Carolina, 

 yet in Maryland and New Jersey, and also in New York, I 

 have met with these birds within two hours' walk of the sea, 

 and in some places within less than a mile of the shore. I 

 have not been able to trace him to any of the West India 

 islands ; though they certainly retire to Mexico, Guiana, and 

 Brazil, having myself seen skins of these birds in the posses- 

 sion of a French gentleman, which were brought from the 

 two latter countries. 



By recurring to the synonyms at the beginning of this 

 article, it will be perceived how much European naturalists 

 have differed in classing this bird. That the judicious Mr 



* Vieillot mentions the fruit of the Solanum Carolinense as a parti- 

 cular favourite of this bird. — Ed. 



