DENTIROSTRES. 231 



TRIBE II. 



Dentirostres. 

 FAMILY I. TODIDA 



The second group of the Insessores is designated the 

 Dentirostres, by Cuvier (which means notched or tooth- 

 billed), the first family of which is called Todidce — the genus 

 Musicapa of Linnaeus. 



Genus I. Musicapa (jiy-catcliers). Linn. 



The generic characters of the fly-catchers are — bill moderate 

 length, the base set with long, stiff bristles ; the upper mandible 

 having a small notch near the top. The legs are small and 

 slender ; toes long and ill adapted for walking or leaping ; but 

 as they chiefly reside in woods and gardens, amongst the 

 foliage of which they find their insect food on the wing, this 

 partial defect is of less consequence, for they will take their 

 stand on a twig or the stump of a tree or post, from whence 

 they catch the flies, and return to the same perch, scarcely ever 

 touching the ground, but, like an old tollman, make every 

 passing fly pay toll with its life. The wings are of moderate 

 length, broad ; of eighteen quills ; the tail rather long, of 

 twelve feathers. The general form of the body is slender. 

 They are confined to Europe. Two species occur in Britain, and 

 are both sparsely found around St Andrews. They are summer 

 visitants ; notch-billed insect feeders. 



The Spotted Fly-Catcher. 



(Musicapa Grisola.) Linn. 



This bird is about the size of the meadow pipit, which it 

 resembles. The general colour of the upper parts is light 

 brownish grey ; the head spotted with brown ; the sides, light 

 reddish brown ; the lower parts, greyish white ; the bill, black ; 

 the under side of the lower mandible, flesh colour; the feet, 



