Io6 NESTS AND EGGS OF ArSJ'RALlAN BIRDS. 



coloiu', light greyish-blue, comparatively boldly blotched, particularly round 

 the upper quarter, with reddish-brown or chestnut and puiple. Dimensions 

 in inches of a proper pair: (1) -75 x -57, (2) -74 x -57. (Plate 7.) 



Observations. — The familiar Brown Flycatcher is common throughout 

 the greater part of Eastern and Southern Austraha, being represented on 

 the north and west by a closely-allied form (M. assimilisj. 



For its gi'aceful, active movements (especially a singiilar lateral move- 

 ment of the tail when the bird is perched), and pleasing little song, the 

 Brown Flycatcher is a general favoiu'ite amongst collectors. Wlierever 

 there is open forest land or, indeed, timljer of any kind, the little Fly- 

 catchers arc always present in pairs, and, although the nest is so siuall, 

 it may be generally discovered by the solicitous actions of the owners. 

 The Brown Flycatcher has been known to lay twice in tlie same nest — 

 a somewhat unusual occuiience, 



Mr. Hermann Lau, in his characteristic fasliion, obsei-ves that ; — 

 " Micrceca fascinans is a lovely httle Flycatcher, always posting itself on 

 the top of a dry stick, singing out ' Petei'-Peter ' summer and winter. 

 Its plate-hke nest (one of the smallest in Australia and disproportionate in 

 size to the bird) rests on a horizontal diy fork five to ten feet from the 

 ground. As the receptacle is very shallow, great care has to be taken in 

 securing the pair of eggs, as they will fall out by the least shake (have lost 

 several in spite of cai-e). Once I observed the egg of Cuculus cinereus 

 (pallida) in the nest of the Brown Flycatcher at Ellangowan, 

 Queensland, October, 1868." 



Dr. Ramsay, in two instances in New South Wales, took the unusual 

 number of three eggs from nests of the httle Brown Flycatcher. 



Two, and probably tlu-ee broods are reared a season, wliich usually 

 commences in October and extends to December. 



In South Australia, Mr. James G. McDougall states that the 

 Brown Flycatcher or " Post Sitter," as he calls the bird, begins to breed 

 September or October, laving a pair of eggs, as it does in Victoria. 



83. — MicKCECA ASsiMiLis, Gould. — (150) 

 LESSER BROWN FLYCATCHER. 



Figure. — Gould-Sharpe : Birds of New Guinea, vol. ii pi. lo 



Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus , vol. iv., p. 124 



Previous Dessription of Eggs — Le Souef : Ibis. p. 458 (1900I 



Geographical Distrihution. — West and North-west AustraUa, and 

 Northern Territory. 



Nest and Eggx. — See appendix. 



Observations. — As Gould has pointed out, this Flycatcher is the western 

 representative of M. fascinans, from which it only differs in being 

 much smaller in size, and in ha\'ing the base of the outer tail feathers 

 brown instead of white. 



