MUSCICAPA COLLABIS 181 



examples the patch is almost or entirely absent. It is evident 

 therefore, I think, that the amount of white on the forehead of this 

 species varies according to age, and possibly also in some measure 

 according to season. Whether the very adult males of M. atricapilla, 

 found in Eui'ope ever attain the large-sized white patch of North- 

 west African birds I cannot say, as I have not examined sufficient 

 material to be able to form a decided opinion on the point. With 

 regard to the other differential characters mentioned as existing 

 between typical M. atricapilla and M. speculigera, I do not find that 

 they hold good. 



MUSCICAPA COLLARIS, Bechstein. 

 WHITE-COLLAEED FLYCATCHEE 



Muscicapa collaris, Bechst. Gemeinn. Natunj. Deutschl. iv, p. 495 (1795) ; 



Shcuyc, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. iv, p. 160; Lochc, Expl. Sci. Alg. Ois. ii, 



p. 59 (1867) ; Whitaker, Ibis, 1896, p. 95 ; Erlanger, J. f. 0. 1899, 



p. 508. 

 Muscicapa albicollis, Malherbe, Cat. Rais. d'Ois. Alg. p. 9 (1846) ; 



Koenig, J. /. 0. 1888, p. 187 ; id. J. f. 0. 1892, p. 387. 



Description. — Adult male, spring, from Hamman-Lif, North Tunisia. 



Eesembles the adult male of M. atricapilla, but differs in having a white 

 collar extending right round the neck, and in having rather more white on 

 the rump. 



Soft parts and measurements as in 31. atricapilla. 



Adult female resembles the female of M. atricapilla. 



Like the preceding species, although perhaps rather less common, 

 the White-collared Flycatcher is a regular summer migrant in Tunisia, 

 and may frequently be observed during the spring months. Whether 

 it also breeds in the Eegency I cannot say, having no information on 

 the point. 



Loche says the species is to be found widely distributed in Algeria, 

 but later travellers in that country do not seem to have met with it, 

 nor have I any specimen of it from Marocco. In Tripoli, however, the 

 species is not uncommon, and I have examples of it from various parts 

 of that country, obtained in April and May. 



