72 
ICTERIA VIRIDIS. 
yet in Maryland and New Jersey, and also in 
York, I have met with these birds mthin two hour* 
walk of the sea, and in some places within less than ’ 
mile of the shore. I have not been able to trace hi'* 
to any of the West India islands ; though they certainV 
retire to Mexico, Guiana, and Brazil, having mys®^ 
seen skins of these birds in the possession of a Fren*^^ 
gentleman, which were brought from the two latt^^ 
countries. 
European naturalists have differed very much 
classing this bird. That the judicious Mr Pennal'*' 
Gmelin, and even Dr Latham,' however, should ha^ 
arranged it with the flycatchers, is certainly vf^ 
extraordinary ; as neither in the particular structut' 
of its bill, tongue, feet, nor in its food or mannei* 
has it any affinity whatever to that genus. Son>' 
other ornitliologists have removed it to the tanagerSj 
hut the bill of the chat when compared with that r 
tile summer red bird, bespeaks it at once to be 
a different tribe. Besides, the tanagers seldom B) 
more than two or three eggs ; the chat usually foUf ' 
the former build on trees; the latter in low thicket-* 
In short, though this bird will not exactly correspow 
with any known genus, yet the form of its bill, its foo^' 
and many of its habits, would almost justify ns B 
dassing it with the genus pipra (Mauakin), to whie^ 
family it seems most nearly related. 
The yellow-breasted chat is seven inches long, 
nine inches in extent; the whole upper parts are 0*“ 
rich and deep olive green, except the tips of the wii>l!* 
and interior vanes of the wing and tail feathers, whif" 
are uusky brown ; the whole throat and breast is ot * 
most brilliant yellow, which also lines the inside of tB 
wings, and spreads ou the sides immediately below ; tb'’ 
belly and vent are white ; the front, slate coloured, 
dull cinereous ; lores, black ; from the nostril, a line ? 
white extends to the upper part of the eye, which 
nearly encircles ; another spot of white is placed at tb" 
base of the lower mandible, the bill is stronn-, sliditV 
curved, sharply ridged on the top, compressed, ov«>“ 
