Major-General DaviesV Account of a Specks ofMufcicapa. 24.1 



that, when difturbed, its flight is very Ihort, like that of a grafs- 

 hopper; and that it no fooner alights than it runs with fuch great 

 agility that many who have been confident of their having covered 

 birds with their hats, have, to their great furprife, ken them again 

 take wing at no great diftance : fo that they are always difficult to 

 catch. I have, however, to obferve, that the colour of the bird, and 

 the length of its legs, muft greatly contribute to its fo eafily ef caping 

 the vigilance of thofe who purfue it. I am alfo induced, from the 

 circumstance of its bill being well furroundeo with bridles, to think 

 that its food is fmall flies, and other infers which it catches amongft 

 the roots of the grafs and rbfHes. 



The length of the bird, from the point of the bill to the end of 

 the rump, is three inches ; the bill is three-eighths of an inch long, 

 of a brownifh black colour, confiderably curved at the point, hav- 

 ing the bafe furnifhed with flrong bridles, and noitrils large and 

 low down; irides uncertain; head much flattened and narrow 

 towards the bafe of the bill, with a pale azure bar from the bafe of 

 the bill over the eye ; throat, to the centre of the neck, on each fide, 

 azure ; front part of the head, cheeks, bread, fore part of the fhoul- 

 ders, thighs, fides and rump, ferruginous; centre part of the belly 

 nearly white ; hind part of the head, neck, (houldcrs, back and 

 rump, greyifh brown, elegantly ftreaked with browniih black ; 

 feathers of the back and rump, long, foft, and of a filky texture ; 

 wings very fhort, fcarcely reaching to the bafe of the^ail, of a dark 

 brownifh black colour, edged with rufous brown; legs (lender, 

 three-fourths of an inch long, of a pale dun or horn colour; feet 

 (lender and long; claws crcokedand very {harp, efpecially the hind 

 one, which is the largeft, all of the fame colour with the legs ; the 

 tail, independent of the body, is four inches and more in length, 

 fhafts black and very (lender, armed on each fide with minute 



Yoi. IV. 1 i flender 



