MICRCECA. 14& 



Charles Ryan and the late Dr. Charles Snowball, of Melbourne, who kindly permitted me to 

 describe the specimens from their collections. 



The two figures given in Gould's "Supplement to the Birds of Australia," are those of 

 adult males. 



Fledgelings resemble the adult female, but are browner on the upper parts; the superciliary 

 stripe is duller in colour and almost meets on the occiput; chin and throat white, tinged with 

 yellow; remainder of the under surface pale yellow, becoming slightly brighter on the under 

 tail-coverts. Wing 2-i inches. 



The above described eggs were taken at Cape York in December. Young birds in the 

 collection were procured by Messrs. E. J. Cairn and R. Grant, at Cairns, in November; and 

 fledgelings by the late Mr. E. Spalding, near Cardwell, in October. 



Micrceca fascinans. 



BROWN FLYCATCHER. 

 Loxia fascinans, Lath., Ind. Orn,, Suppl., p. xlvi., (1801). 

 Micrceca macroptera, Gould, Bds. Austr., fob. Vol. 11., pi. 93 (1848). 



Micneca Jasci7ians, Gould, Handbk. Bds. Austr., Vol. I., p. 2.58(186.5); Sharpe, Cat. Bds. Brit. 

 Mus., Vol. IV., p. 123 (1879). 



Adult male — General colour above ashy-hroiun ; upper wing coverts like the back, the greater 

 coverts with ivhitish margins; quilJs dnrk brown, the outer primaries edged externally for three- 

 fourths of their length with brownish-white, the remainder and the secondaries narrowly margined 

 and tipped ivith ivhite on their outer webs: four central tail feathers blackish-brown, the two outer- 

 most on either side white, the remainder blackish-brown, tipped with white; lores and an indistinct 

 eyebroiv dull white; chin and throat white; chest pale ashy-brown: remainder of the under surface 

 white; sides of the breast ashy-brown: under tail-coverts white; bill dark brown: legs and feet blackish- 

 brown; iris broivn. Total length in the flesh 5-'2 inches, wing SS, tail 2-3, bill 0-4, tarsus 0-7. 



Adlflt female — Similar in plumage to the male. 



Distribution.— 0\viens\a.\-\d, New South Wales, \'ictoria, South Australia. 

 /TR\HE Brown Flycatcher is freely dispersed over most parts of Eastern and South-eastern 

 J- Australia. It is usually seen in pairs, sometimes high up on the thin dead branches of 

 a lofty giant of the forest, but just as often in lower trees, or on the tops of tree-stumps or 

 fences, frequenting also gardens and orchards close to houses, for it evinces a decided preference 

 for the haunts of man. In New South Wales it is a common and well-known resident, and 

 without e.xception is the most familiar bird in Sydney and the suburbs, where it may be seen 

 in equal numbers at all seasons of the year. It is a restless little creature, seldom remaining 

 still for any length of time, and even when perched its tail is repeatedly swayed from side to 

 side. During flight the tail is expanded, and the white lateral feathers conspicuously displayed. 

 A favourite resting place of this bird is near the extremity of a thin dead branch ; it also clings 

 to the roughened bark of trees, turning its head round and watching an intruder in a similar 

 manner to Eopsaltria australis. 



Throughout the year the Brown Flycatcher, or " Jacky Winter" as it is locally called in 

 the neighbourhood of Sydney, is the first bird to welcome in with cheerful notes the dawn of 

 day. In early spring it pours forth its sweet and melodious song about 5 a.m. ; in the summer 

 months an hour earlier. During these seasons of the year, in addition to its usual notes, it 

 frequently utters clearly and distinctly "pretty, pretty, pretty; you did, you did, you did." 



ii 



