The precise systematic position of the genus Icteria is a matter of much contrariety of opinion among ornithologists; but we have little hesitation in including it among the Sylvicolidæ. It has been most frequently assigned to the Vireonidæ, but differs essentially in the deeply cleft inner toe (not half united as in Vireo), the partially booted tarsi, the lengthened middle toe, the slightly curved claws, the entire absence of notch or hook in the bill, and the short, rounded wing with only nine primaries. The wing of Vireo, when much rounded, has ten primaries,—nine only being met with when the wing is very long and pointed.
Of this genus only one species is known, although two races are recognized by naturalists, differing in the length of the tail.
I. virens. Above olive-green; beneath gamboge-yellow for the anterior half, and white for the posterior. A white stripe over the eye.
Length of tail, 3.30 inches. Hab. Eastern United States to the Plains; in winter through Eastern Mexico to Guatemala … var. virens.
Length of tail, 3.70 inches. Hab. Western United States from the Plains to the Pacific; Western Mexico in winter … var. longicauda.
Icteria virens, Baird.
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT.
Turdus virens, Linn. Syst. Nat. 10th ed. 1758, 171, No. 16.(based on Œnanthe americana, pectore luteo, Yellow-breasted Chat, Catesby, Carol. I, tab. 50). Icteria virens, Baird, Rev. Am. B. 1864, 228. Muscicapa viridis, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 936. Icteria viridis, Bon.; Aud. Orn. Biog. II, pl. cxxxvii.—Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 248. Icteria dumecola, Vieill. Pipra polyglotta, Wils. ? Icteria velasquezi, Bon. P. Z. S. 1837, 117 (Mexico).—Sclater & Salv. Ibis, I, 1859, 12 (Guatemala).
Localities quoted: Costa Rica, Caban., Orizaba (winter), Sum. Yucatan, Lawr.
Sp. Char. Third and fourth quills longest; second and fifth little shorter; first nearly equal to the sixth. Tail graduated. Upper parts uniform olive-green; under parts, including the inside of wing, gamboge-yellow as far as nearly half-way from the point of the bill to the tip of the tail; rest of under parts white, tinged with brown on the sides; the outer side of the tibiæ plumbeous; a slight tinge of orange across the breast. Forehead and sides of the head ash, the lores and region below the eye blackish. A white stripe from the nostrils over the eye and involving the upper eyelid; a patch on the lower lid, and a short stripe from the side of the lower mandible, and running to a point opposite the hinder border of the eye, white. Bill black; feet brown. Female like the male, but smaller; the markings indistinct; the lower mandible not pure black. Length, 7.40; wing, 3.25; tail, 3.30. Nest in thickets, near the ground. Eggs white, spotted with reddish.