51G 



MUSCICAPA. FLYCATCHER. 



The Flycatchers constitute one of those genera of the Myio- 

 therinae most nearly allied to the Sylvianae, and distinguished 

 by the following characters : — Bill of moderate length, straight, 

 broader than high at the base, becoming gradually compressed 

 toward the end, the ridge rather sharp, the sides sloping, flat at 

 the base, but convex toward the tip, which is narrow, a little 

 declinate, with the notch very obscure ; lower mandible with 

 the angle of moderate length and rather wide, the back a little 

 flattened at first, but afterwards narrow, the sides sloping out- 

 wards, flat on the crura, convex towards the end, the edges a 

 little involute, the tip straight and sharp ; the gape-line straight. 



The mandibles are internally moderately concave, with a cen- 

 tral prominent line, the upper with a slight groove on each side, 

 the palate flat ; the posterior aperture of the nares linear, edged 

 with rather large acute papillae, and having a small round knob 

 at its anterior extremity. The oesophagus rather wide at the 

 top, afterwards of nearly uniform breadth ; the proventriculus 

 a little wider, wath numerous rather large short glandules. The 

 stomach is a broadly elliptical gizzard, watli moderate lateral 

 muscles, rather small tendons, and an inner tough and broadly 

 rugous coat. The intestine is short, rather wide, with two 

 minute coeca near the extremity ; the rectum dilated behind. 



The nostrils are elliptical, pervious, in the fore part of the 

 large nasal membrane, which is feathered at the base. The 

 eyes are small, the eye-lids feathered. The aperture of the ear 

 elliptical, and very large. 



The general form is slender ; the body ovate ; the neck short ; 

 the head of moderate size, broadly ovate, rather rounded above. 

 The feet are short and feeble ; the tarsus very short, slender, 

 compressed, with the seven anterior scutella generally blended, 

 excepting the lower two or three ; the toes small and com- 



