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 shor-t 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 man- 
dible 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 -fa, along the 
edge fa ; tarsus 
Adult Female. 
The female scarcely differs from the male in any perceptible degree, and 
is of the same size. 
