YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT. 
93 
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 himself 
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 whortleberries 
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 under- 
wood. 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 possession 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 
Pennant, Gmelin, and even Dr Latham, however, should 
have arranged it with the Flycatchers, is certainly very 
* Vieillot mentions the fruit of the Solarium Carolinense as a particular 
favourite of this bird Ed. 
