158 MUSUICAPIDJE. 



Muscicapa speciiligera, Bp. Consp. i. p. 017 (e.r Selus-Lonch. MS.) ; 



Hartl. J.f. O. 1861, p. 169 ; Loche, Expl. Set. Alger. Ois. ii. p. 60; 



Gray, Hand-l. B. i. p. 322, no. 4825. 

 Muscicapa speculifera (lapsu), Schl. Vog. Nederl. p. 225. 

 Muscicapa nigra, Degl. et Gerbe, Orn. Eur. i. p. 580. 

 Ficedula atricapilla, Sund. Av. Meth. Tent. p. 23 ; Collett, Vid. Selsk. 



Forh. Christiania, 1872, p. 198. 



Nestling. General colour above reddish brown, with dark brown 

 edgings to the feathers, which are all mottled with large subter- 

 minal spots of pale ochraceous buff, smaller on the head ; wings 

 brown, the median coverts with ochraceous buff tips, the greater 

 series tipped with buify white ; the three inner secondaries exter- 

 nally buffy white, forming a bar down the wing ; tail-feathers 

 blackish, the two outer feathers white along the outer web, extend- 

 ing even to the inner web on the outermost feather ; ear-coverts 

 pale yellowish brown ; lores and feathers round the eye buffy white ; 

 cheeks and under surface of body dull white, washed with ochra- 

 ceous hnS. on the chest, the feathers of which have darker brown 

 margins. 



Young male (Stockholm, Aiig. 15, 1845). Similar to the old 

 female, but differing in the amount of white in the tail, which is 

 greater than in the old hen bird. 



Young male (in second year, May 20, 1855). More of a greyish 

 brown than the old female, but not black like the old male, which 

 it nearly resembles as regards the amount of white in the wings 

 and tail ; lores, feathers in front of eye, and ear-coverts shaded with 

 black, the white frontal mark very indistinct ; under surface of body 

 white, with a slight ochraceous tinge on the breast and flanks ; 

 thighs brown ; under wing-coverts and axillaries ochraceous buff. 



Adult male. General colour above black, with here and there a 

 shade of brown, probably remains of previous plumage ; wing- 

 coverts black, some of the older feathers brown, the median series 

 tipped with white, the inner greater coverts entirely white ; pri- 

 mary-coverts entirely dark brown ; quills dark brown, the inner 

 primaries with a white spot at the base of the outer web, the secon- 

 daries with a conspicuous fawn-coloured spot at the base of both 

 webs; the inner secondaries white at the base, increasing in extent 

 on the innermost, which are white, with more or less black towards 

 the end of the feather ; tail blackish, the three outer feathers marked 

 with white, the outermost being almost entirely white, with brown 

 shaft and a brown mark near the tip of the inner web, the penulti- 

 mate one being white on the base and on the outer web, the brown 

 on the inner web more extended and occupying the greater part of 

 the latter, the third feather brown with an edging of white on the 

 outer web and near the base of the inner one ; forehead white ; 

 lores, feathers round the eye, and ear-coverts black ; cheeks and 

 under surface of body white, the thighs black at the base of the 

 feathers ; under wing-coverts and axillaries white, with blackish 

 bases to the feathers ; lower series of coverts and quills below ashj' 

 brown, whitish along the edge of the inner web ; " bill and legs 



